To Yourself Be True
by Lana Panther of Lightning
Summary: A next generation fic, but now the seishi have to face problems that are 'out of this world', not to mention a few might be thinking of deserting...
1. Default Chapter What, Late Again?!?

Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yuugi OR any celestial beings. However, all the charecters in this story that are original are MINE. if you wanna use 'em, just ask me. Also, here is a list of all the Japenese I will be using in this fic, just so you know what I'm saying. ^_^; Please read and review, if you want me to send you updates, say so in your review, and leave an address.  
  
Okaasan= mother Oniisan= big brother Oneesan= big sister Imooto= Little sister Hai= Yes Arigato= Thank you Gomen= Sorry No da= You know Itai= Ouch Baka= Idiot ***************************************************************TO YOURSELF BE TRUE  
  
By: LanaPanther  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Two girls are running down the street at breakneck speed, knocking people over and shouting, "Gomen!" every five seconds. One has dark, marron colored hair, done up in a high ponytail, and brown, intense eyes. The other girl has pitch black hair, done up in two buns on either side of her head with navy blue ribbons, also with brown eyes, that looked panicked at the moment. Both are wearing what appear to be school uniforms with navy blue, pleated skirts, white blouses, navy blue vests, and white dress shoes. "Marisa! How much time left 'till school starts?!" The girl with a ponytail gasped, jumping over a baby carriage in her hurry not to be late for school. The girl with buns in her hair quickly glanced at her watch, and cried, " Twenty seconds! And we still have two blocks to go! We'll never make it, Lana!"  
  
True to her word, we next see Marisa and her bestfriend Lana sitting in the principal's office, waiting to be chastised. "Mercy! Are you two here AGAIN?!" the secretary said, coming into the office to look for their files. She flips through their files, and sees they have been reported for being tardy many, MANY times. "Land-oh-goshen, what are we going to DO with you two?! Is it so hard just to wake up with enough time to throw on some clothes and get to school TWO SECONDS before the bell rings?!" the secretary said, wagging her finger in the young teens' faces. Lana and Marisa cringed, and Lana mumbled, "It would help if it wasn't so dang BORING here, and they gave less homework so we wouldn't have to stay up the whole NIGHT doing it!" The secretary looked at the two girls in sympathy, and gave a small smile. "Aww, get out of here, you two." she said, and jerked her thumb towards the door. Marisa looked confused. "Aren't you going to send us into the office?" The secretary shook her head, and said lowly, "Not THIS time. Believe it or not, I was a kid once too, and I remember how much I HATED school, so I can understand having too much homework and thinking it's boring. But don't you go telling anyone." She gave the two shocked girls a wink, and went back to her paper work. "Thank you SO much!" Lana grinned, and hurridely got out of the office, right after her friend.  
  
"MAN! I thought we were toast!" Lana said in suprise, putting her books in her locker. The inside was decorated with pictures of mountians, forests, and animal photos. It also so had a small magnetic notepad attached to one side, that had, "Get new alarm clock!" written in big, bold letters on it. "Well, we'd better make sure to be on time TOMORROW, or I bet the principal's gonna give us detention for the rest of our lives." Marisa sighed, opening her locker with a spin of the dial, and shoving in her purse. The inside was decorated with various pictures of differant TV shows, Harry Potter pictures, cartoons of some of her favorite video games, and a family picture with her and her older brother, older sister, and parents, who are both doctors. Her's also has a notepad inside, which has what looks like one of those non-smoking signs at the top, only with a megaphone and pom-poms in the center. On it is written, "Major sale Tuesday, get advance on allowance!" "I'm more worried about what Gran's gonna say. She swore that if she got one more call from the school she was going to call Mom and tell her what's going on." Lana sighed, leaning her forehead on the cool metal of her locker. "Don't worry about it, Lana. Miaka-san's a wonderful woman. Everything'll work out." Marisa said reasuringly, and started walking towards their homeroom. "I hope you're right." Lana groaned, and followed her.  
  
"A REPORT!!!! Can you BELIEVE it?! And on Ancient China too! What the heck are they THINKING?!?!" Lana cried later, walking out of the school with Marisa, looking ready to break down. "We can do it anyway we want though, you could write a story about China, then turn THAT in." Marisa pointed out, knowing about her friends love of writing. Lana instantly perked up, and exclaimed, "Hey! You're right! What're we waiting for!? Let's get to the library! I need to look up some information for an AWSOME report!" Marisa just chuckled, and chased after her friend as she dashed off for the library. "She's so predictable!" she thought, and quickly caught up.  
  
*********************************************************************** Author's notes: If you have any suggestions, you can e-mail me at lanapanther@yahoo.com! 


	2. Chapter 2 Noone Likes Homework...

Disclaimer: I'm sure you read the first one, so I'll just say it stayed the same. I also want to thank M.K. for profreading my fic, thank you! ^_^ *************************************************************** Chapter 2  
  
Lana was rushing around the library in a whirlwind, grabbing any book with even the SLIGHTEST reference to Ancient China. "Lana, come on. I think you have enough." Marisa ordered when Lana had a stack of books that almost hid her face when she walked. "Allrrriigghhttt. Hey Marisa, wanna come over to my house and help me write the story?" Lana said, checking out all her books at the front desk, and trying to shove them all in her backpack. Marisa sighed, and took half the books from Lana. "Alright. I think I'll do my report on Miaka-san anyway. It's supposed to be about a senior citizen in our community." Marisa agreed, and went to a payphone to call her brother and tell him where she was going to be. Lana cringed, and advised, "Don't tell her you think she's a senior citizen to her face. She'll go crazy on ya. And I'm not sure how great of a report you'll get, all Grandma talks about is that old story about how she supposedly got pulled into a book and met Grandpa." "There may be SOME truth to that story, Lana. Besides, I'm interested to hear her story. And as I recall, it was ABOUT Ancient China and its legends, so maybe you could put something about that in your report too." Marisa told her friend, and walked up to a white house with an oak tree in front, and raised her hand to knock on the door. Lana pushed past her, opening the door, and just walking in, shouting, "Gran! We're home!"  
  
An elderly woman with greying hair wlaked into the hall, waving cheerfully to Marisa, and saying, "Hello Marisa dear! What are you doing here? Come for a snack?" Marisa sweatdropped. "It's like all she thinks about it food." she thought. Lana giggled, as if she had heard. "No, I'm going to be doing a report on Ancient China, and she came over to help me. She also wants to interview you for a report of her own." Lana explained to her Grandmother, setting her library books down on a table in the kitchen. Lana stomach suddenly growled. "Although a snack WOULD be nice." she admitted, blushing and rubbing the back of her neck.  
  
Ten minutes later, both girls were sitting at the counter in the kitchen, Lana with an orange and glass of water, Marisa with a sandwich and glass of milk. "Ahhh, Ancient China, I have so many memories there!" Lana's Grandmother sighed, going starry eyed, with what looked like a mountain of empty plates in front of her. "I'm home!" a voice called from the front door, and a man with greying, midnight blue hair walked in. "Grandpa!" Lana cried happily, and jumped up, giving him a hug, before sitting back down. "How's my girl doing?" he laughed, patting her on the head. "Hello Taka- san." Marisa said respectfully, smiling at him. "Hello Marisa-chan. How ya doin'?" Lana's Grandfatther said, also patting her on the head. "I was just about to tell them about 'The Universe of the Four Gods, dear. Care to join us?" Miaka-san told her husband, gesturing to the chair beside her. Lana let out a soft groan, and laid her head down on the table. Unfortunately, her Grandmother caught her. "Now Lana, I know you think this is a bunch of rubbish-" "Oh no, it's not that, it's just that you kind of make me jealous everytime you tell this story, even if I find it hard to believe." Lana assured her, waving a hand. "Jealous?" Marisa asked, raising an eyebrow at her friend. "She got to actually go INTO a book!" Lana whined, tears welling up in her eyes. Marisa sighed. "Anyway, I also HAVE heard the story at LEAST a dozen times. And you know it's hard for me to listen to someone talk for hours on end." Lana said, turning to her Grandmother apologetically. Miaka-san put a finger to her chin, then looked up with a grin, saying, "Well, maybe it'd help if you READ the story then!"  
  
Lana and Marisa stared at her for a second, before Marisa asked, "You've published a book about it?" Miaka-san shook her head, and said, "No, I mean the ORIGINAL book, the one FROM the story!" Lana looked a little nervous. "Uh, Gran, are you sure that's SAFE?" she asked. Miaka-san and Taka-san both nodded. "The book has been sealed." Taka-san assured her. Marisa suddenly glanced at the clock on the wall, and exclaimed, "Crud! Mom and Dad are going to be home in fifeteen minutes! We were supposed to go to the beach today, sorry, I have to go!" Then she jumped up, grabbing her purse. "Want me to walk you home?" Lana asked, getting up and stretching. "Nah, you go ahead and start on your story. I'll be fine." Marisa told her, gave her a hug, and walked out the door with a wave.  
  
Lana was up in her room later, looking at the book her Grandmother had given her. "Hmmm, 'The Universe of the Four Gods', huh? Well, might as well get started." Lana flipped through the first couple of pages, and stopped when she came to an interesting illistration. "Wow." she breathed. The picture was one of a beautiful angel, white wings spread out, face tilted towards the heavens, standing on the Earth. Lana looked closer, and with a frown, noticed that the angel was chained to the Earth by her wrists with black and red chains, seeming to be straining to return to the heavens. Lana could almost FEEL the angels sadness, and anger. She was being kept from going home. It didn't seem fair. Lana felt tears come to her eyes, and said softly, "I'm sorry, I wish I could help." Then Lana gently reached out a hand, and traced the outline of the angel's wings with her index finger. "You don't deserve to be held down when you could be free." she whispered, and then with a start, realized she was talking to a BOOK. Before Lana could even call herself the names she deserved, however, there was a bright red flash of light, and everything went black.  
  
Lana woke up in a dense, dark forest next to a clear, bubbling brooke. She slowely sat up, and looked around. "Where am I?" she asked herself softly, feeling as if she would fade back into the blackness any second. She suddenly heard a gasp and soft thump as something hit the ground. Lana turned around, and through diming eyes, saw a small girl in a brown cloak and green dress, with red hair and green eyes looking at her in shock, with a basket of flowers lying on the ground beside her, before she passed out.  
  
Marisa walked to Lana's house the next day, still feeling glad she had been able to be with her whole family for a while. Her parents being doctors, they rarely had time for just all of them to be together. Marisa jogged up to Miaka-san's door, and politely knocked before gently pushing it open, and calling out, "Anybody home?" Marisa suddenly went ridged. She had heard someone crying uncontrolably from the kitchen. She dashed in the door, and ran to the kitchen, and cried out, "Miaka-san, what happened?!" when she got in. Miaka-san was kneeling on the floor, a book held to her chest, crying into her husband's chest. Taka-san looked up, tears falling from his own eyes, and said, "Lana has been taken into the 'Universe of the Four Gods'." 


	3. Chapter 3 Angels and a Little...... Fiel...

Disclaimer: I own everything original in here, and if you happen to think my charecters are UNoriginal, oh well. I still own them. Thank you! ^_~ LanaPanther *************************************************************** Chapter 3  
  
Lana's eyes fluttered open. She was in a dark room, lying on a bed. "Mom?" she called out weakly, thinking she was home. "It's alright. Just go back to sleep." a soothing voice said, and Lana felt a cool cloth being put on her forehead. "I had the strangest dream, Mom." Lana told her weakly, feeling drained and closing her eyes again. "I dreamt I was standing in a world of blackness, and an angel came up to me! She told me something, I can't remember what it was now, and then she touched me and dissapered." "Dreams always have meanings, little one. Let your heart guide you to the truth." the voice told her, and Lana could almost hear them smiling at her. Lana suddenly realized that this person was not her mother, and she was not at home. Lana hurridely tried to sit up, but felt a wave of dizziness wash over her, and she had to lay back. "Take it slow. You were out for a while." someone told her, and Lana asked, "Where am I? Who are you? What happened? How long was I out?" The voice softly laughed, and a lantern was lit. Lana jumped a little when she saw a woman with red hair and green eyes, in her mid twenties, in a kimono standing there, looking at her with a smile. "My name is Serena Drionia. My daughter, Allelu, found you in the woods while she was picking some flowers. You've been out for nearly five hours, and you are on the edge of the city Konan." Serena came and sat on the edge of Lana's bed, taking her hand, and saying, "It's alright. You are safe here. We will not hurt you. Now rest, I will be back to check on you in an hour." Lana was silent for a second, and Serena smiled at her again, saying, "Trust me." Lana slowely nodded, and returned the smile, saying, "Arigato Serena-san. I'm Lana." and then slowely layed back down, going to sleep. Serena smiled, and walked out the door to the room, softly closing the door behind her. "Did you hear, Okaasan? She was sent by the angels!" the little girl, Allelu said excitedly running up to her mother. "Hush now, Allelu. She needs her rest. We will speak more of this in the morning." Serena said, and picked the little girl up, bringing her to her room, and tucking her in. "I'm glad she's here, Okaasan." Allelu said sleepily, snuggling down in her blanket. "Why is that, princess?" Serena said, smiling as she waited by the door. "Because now we won't be so lonely anymore." Allelu whispered, and slipped into a peaceful leep. Serena smiled sadly at her daughter, and said, "Maybe you're right my daughter. Lana-chan might be the answer to our prayers." Before softly closing the door.  
  
"I don't understand!" Marisa said in confusion. "What's so bad about Lana getting into the book?" Miaka-san choked back a sob, and began to tell Marisa her story while Taka-san read his Granddaughter's. After Miaka-san was done, Marisa looked pale and scared. "Wait, was Lana wearing her uniform when she got- you know." Marisa suddenly asked. "Yes..." Miaka-san said slowely, her eyes suddenly lighting up. "Oh! That means you can communicate with her!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands. Marisa smiled in determination. "Better. It means I can go in after her and bring her BACK." Miaka-san started to protest, but Taka-san cut her off. "It might be the quickest way to bring her back, Miaka. Are you sure you want to, Marisa?" Marisa nodded without hesitation. "Lana would do the same for me if the situation was switched. Just let me go home and pack a few things in case of emergency." she told them, and ran out the door without waiting for an answer. Miaka smiled through her tears. "It's great that she has such wonderful friends." then she sighed. "I just hope they don't end up like Yui and I did." "Don't worry. I'm sure they'll both be alright." Taka said, putting an arm around her shoulders, and holding her close. Miaka hugged him back, silently praying, "Suzaku, protect them. Protect them, and I swear they'll serve you well. They are both strong-willed and pure of heart. They will make you fine warriors if you protect them."  
  
Lana woke up after a while, and walked out of her room, stretching and yawning. "Konnichiwa!" a voice suddenly exclaimed, and Lana felt something latch onto her leg. She looked down and saw the little red-haired girl from earlier. "Hello, are you Allelu?" Lana asked, leaning over to be level with her. The little girl's face lit up, and she cried, "Yes! And you're the girl sent by the angels! Will you play with me?" Lana blushed, and said, "Wait a minute-" "You said you saw an angel, and then you were here, right? You look alot like my oneesan!" Allelu said quickly, dragging her to the kitchen. Serena looked up from stirring something in pot above the fireplace, and said, "Ah! It's good to see you up! I see Allelu found you. I'm sorry if she's a bit overwhelming, she's hasn't been around another young one for a while now." Serena chuckled. "I am NOT! You don't think I'm Oh-ver-walming, do you Lan-chan?" Allelu said, eyes misting over, looking up adoringly at Lana. "Aw, of course not, Allelu-chan. I'm just a little confused is all. I'm not sure how I got here." Lana told her, patting her head, and sitting down wearily in a chair. Allelu hopped up into her lap, and said, as if explaining to a small child, "Lan-chan, you were sent here by the angels to keep Touseen and I from being lonely. I bet oneesan picked you out herself!" Allelu hugged her around the neck, leaning her small head on her shoulder, and sighing contently. Lana smiled and hugged her back, before looking up at Serena and asking, "Oneesan?" Serena sighed sadly, and said, "Allelu's older sister was killed by a runaway carriage last year. No offense meant, but you DO look alot like her." Lana gasped softly, and hugged Allelu tightly, "Oh, I'm so sorry. Where's the rest of your family?" she asked, keeping her voice low because had Allelu dozed off in her arms. Serena looked at Allelu, and gave a small smile, "She's slept better since you came. My husband is in the capital, working. We don't see him that often. And my other son, he's your age...." Serena trailed off, looking quite sad. "It's alright if you don't want to talk about it." Lana told her softly. Serena smiled and shook her head. "No, Allelu's already decided you're part of our family, so you should know." Serena sighed, and leaned forward a bit. "My son, Kami, joined a gang of bandit's that stay on a mountain called Mt. Leikaka not far from here. Allelu was crushed when he left us, and was always praying for something that would happen to make the two of us happy again, and to bring our family back together." Lana looked down at the innocent looking child in her arms. "So it's just the two of you?" she said softly, brushing some stray strands of hair off Allelu's forehead. Serena sighed and nodded. Lana looked up, her face set in determination. "Serena, I swear, by the heavens above, that I will do ANYTHING in my power to help you and Allelu. She does not deserve to be lonely, and neither do you." Serena looked up, tears in her eyes, and bowed her head to the girl from another world. "Arigato, Lana-chan. Perhaps Allelu was right, maybe you ARE sent by the angels." Lana smiled, and put a hand on the woman's shoulder. "I don't know about THAT, Serena, but I DO have a feeling I'm here for a reason, maybe this is it." Serena and Lana smiled at eachother for a second before Lana got a serious look, and said, "Serena, did your son leave any of his clothes behind?" Serena looked confused, and answered, "Yes, why do you ask?" "Some day SOON, " Lana said, eyes becoming hard in resolve, "I leave for Mt. Leikaka to see this son of your's and bring him HOME." 


	4. Chapter 4 A Whole New World!!!!

Thanks to Eria for Reviewing!!! ^-^  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"Selena! Where're the camping supplies?!" Marisa yelled, running into her house, calling to her older sister, and dragging a large backpack out of her closet. "Why?" her sister asked boredly from her room, watching TV. "Lana and I are going camping!" Marisa yelled the first thing that came to her mind. THIS got a reaction. "In the middle of the week?! Do Mom and Dad know?!" Selena replied, twisting around and looking at her sister oddly. "Just tell me, okay?!" Marisa yelled back at her, paniced, knowing time was faster in the world Lana was in now, and every minute counted. Selena looked at her suspiciously, and asked, "You're not planning on running away, are you? Was it because you got sent to the principal's office again?" This distracted Marisa for a second. "How'd you KNOW about that?!" she cried, taken off guard. Selena smirked, and said, "One of my friend's saw you and Lana going in. Both of you planning to avoid punishment the old fashioned way? Can't say I blame ya, if Mom finds out, she'll hit the roof." Marisa blushed heavilly, and went chibi yelling, "You CANNOT tell her! I just got OFF being grounded from going outside the house!" Selena smirked, and replied that she needed to say 'pretty please', and they continued to fight.  
  
"Here are Kami-chan's travel clothes, they should fit you." Serena said, handing Lana an armload of clothing. Lana grinned at her, and went in her room to quickly change. It had been two months since Lana had made her promise. She had insisted on helping them store food and cut fire wood for the winter before she left, and also making several small repairs on the house. She was quite used to wearing Kami's clothes by now, seeing as how she wouldn't be able to climb on the roof to fix leaks in a dress. She was dressed in black, drawstring pants, a tan tunic with a black over shirt, boots, a tan cloak and had her hair pulled back by a black bandana. When she came out, Allelu had woken up, and didn't recognize her. "Okaasan? Who's this? Are you Lan-chan's husband?" she asked, confused. Lana laughed, and told Allelu that she was going somewhere, and needed to look like a man to be safe. Over the last two weeks, the three girls in the house had become very close. It had broken Lana's heart to see how lonely Allelu was, and how relieved Serena was to have help around the house, with repairs and such. She was determined to bring this son of Serena's back. Allelu, Serena and Lana had almost become a family, and Lana wanted them to be happy. "No! Don't go!" Allelu cried, hugging her leg tightly and crying when Lana said she was leaving. "Oneesan and Oniisan BOTH left me! Please don't go! I promise I'll be good!" Allelu sobbed, and refused to let Lana go. "Allelu-chan, I'm just going on a short trip. I'll be back!" Lana told her, kneeling down on one knee, and cupping her chin in her hands. Allelu looked up, and sniffed, asking, "Why? Where are you going?" Lana smiled at her, and said, "I'm going to go see your brother and BRING HIM BACK." Allelu's face lit up, and she said excitedly, "Really!? Can you see if you can get Daddy to come back too?" she asked, eyes pleading. Lana looked up at Serena, thinking, and then looked back at the girl, and said, "Yes. Can you get me a map to show me how to get to the capitol and Mt. Leikkaka?" "Hai!" Allelu said excitedly, and ran off. Lana looked at Serena, and grinned. "Think you can keep her occupied until I get back?"  
  
Serena nodded with tears in her eyes again, and suddenly said, "Wait a second please, I'll be right back." Lana looked confused, and Serena came back with a long, thin bundle. She handed it to Lana, and said, "Take it with you in case you run into trouble. It was my father's." Lana unwrapped it, and saw a finely crafted sword and dagger. "Arigato Serena-chan. This will be very helpful." Lana looked up at her with a smile, and gave her a hug before sliding the dagger into her boot, and the sword in a holder on her back under her cloak. "Also, take this." Serena said with some hesitation, bringing out a cloth wrapped bundle, no bigger than a child's fist. "What's this?" Lana asked, and gasped when she unwraped it and saw a beautiful amulet on a chain, with what looked like a phoniex on it. "This was my mother's. It will bring you good luck and protect you." Serena said, smiling, and giving Lana a hug. "Arigato." Lana whispered, and put it on, sliding it under her shirt. "I got the map, Lan-chan!" Allelu cried, running in the room and waving around a piece of parchament. "Good girl! Now which roads are the ones I want to travel?" Lana asked, spreading the map out on a stool. "Well, this road leads to the mountain, and this one leads to the capitol. The mountain is closer, so you'll want to take this route." Allelu said, marking her path with a piece of charcoal from the fire. "Thanks Allelu-chan, Serena-chan. I'd better get going." Lana said after Serena and her had packed a pack with things she'd need, and had given her a spare horse they had. "Come back to us safely, Lana." Serena said, looking at her as a mother would a daughter. "Come back soon, Lan- chan!" Allelu yelled, waving both her arms as Lana rode off down the road, waving back as she began her journey.  
  
"Why would Lana get taken into the book? I thought all the wars had ended!" Miaka-san sighed, rubbing her temples, getting impatiant for Marisa to return, even though she had just left. "There's always the possibility that someone is trying to resummon Seryuii, or attack Konan." Taka-san sighed, looking worried. Miaka-san put her face in her hands, and whimpered, "I don't want Lana and her friends to get caught up in all of this! She's only fourteen, and Marisa's YOUNGER!" Taka-san put a hand on her shoulder, and said, "Lana and Marisa are both strong, they'll make it. If Marisa'd only get back! We're wasting precious time. Lana just left to go to Mt. Leikaka, who knows what's going to happen?"  
  
Marisa had finally given up on her sister, and started going through the house top to bottom, grabbing various things and throwing them into her backpack, looking around frantically for the tents and sleeping bags. She was just about to walk out the door and say, 'The heck with the tent', when Selena said causually, "If you want them THAT bad, I'll tell you were they are." "WHERE ARE THEY!?" Marisa practically screamed, looking around frantically. Selena just pointed to the closet behind Marisa in the hallway, who's door was open, revealing several half-hazardly stacked sleeping bags and tents. Marisa face-faulted and fell over anime style.  
  
Here's a little dictionary for ya, and I'll be checking to see if the other chapts are correct. Read and Review! Ja ne!  
  
Okaasan= mother Oniisan= big brother Oneesan= big sister Hai= Yes Arigato= Thank you No da= You know Imooto= Little sister Gomen= Sorry Itai= Ouch Baka= Idiot Hentai= Pervert ^_^; 


	5. Chapter 5 Let's Fight, I Need to Practic...

Disclaimer: If I owned it, why would my allowance be only $5 a week?  
  
^*^AN^*^ I would like to thank Amiboshi-chan for reviewing, and advertise her fics! They're good! Just click on her name under Reviews, and look 'em up! ^_^  
  
Warnings: A little bit of language, Lana's not in a good mood. ^_^;  
  
Chapter 5  
  
"Well, lookie what we got here. A pretty boy! Got any money on ya, pretty boy?" Lana was about a half mile from the mountain bandits' hideout, and had encountered her first group of thugs. "Back off. I'm looking for someone." Lana snarled at them. She had been riding for about two days now, and was getting VERY tired of her horse, not to mention a little grumpy. "Looks like we're going to have to teach pretty boy a lesson." One of the guys smirked, and pulled out a knife. Lana almost smiled. FINALLY! A change of pace! She would have kissed the jerk, if she weren't dressed as a man, for suggesting something other than riding or resting. Lana jumped off her horse, drawing her sword. She had been practicing with it in her short breaks, and was glad for the chance to test her skills. "Come on, I think I'm gonna enjoy this." she said with a grin, and got into a fighting position. "Wait a second guys." one suddenly said, looking at Lana closely. Lana scowled. "Geez, just attack me you freaks! I need to work out some serious aggressions!" she thought, tempted to scream, "What the heck are you STOPPING for?!" at them. "Hey, does he look familiar to anyone ELSE?" the guy who had stopped them said, cocking a head, and looking at Lana. "Now that you mention it, he does look a LITTLE familiar." another said, looking at Lana up and down. "Who're you looking for?" a guy with blue hair asked, who couldn't have been more than sixteen. Lana looked at them suspiciously, then said, "Kami Drionia." All the boys stiffened, and asked, "What do you want with KAMI?!" Lana smirked, an idea forming in her head, and said, "Okaasan and Imooto want him to come home." All of the guys stared at Lana for a second, before starting to laugh loudly. "My God! Kami's MOMMY is gonna make him come home!" one cried, falling on the ground and beating his fists on the dirt, tears falling from his eyes. The other guys were either leaning on eachother for support, or also on the ground. "So you gonna let me pass or what?" Lana finally asked, voice tight. "Oh sure, heck, we'll give you an ESCORT! THIS I gotta see." the blue haired guy chuckled, turning and gesturing for her to follow him. Lana smirked to herself. A little humiliation for this particular guy would be just the medicine he deserved.  
  
Lana was led to a large building, surrounded by a wall on the mountain. "Who's the guy?" one of the men on the wall yelled. "Oh MAN!" one of the guys said, and almost dissolved into laughter again. "Just go get Kami!" the blue haired guy yelled, then said, "Oh, by the way, I'm Joses." Lana froze for a second, before saying, "I'm Jireh." Joses nodded, and led her through the gates. "What's going on?" asked a boy, coming out of a door and walking up to Joses. He had red hair, green eyes, and fangs, and Lana had to admit, he was a little cute. "You recognize this guy?" Joses asked, jerking a thumb towards Lana. Kami looked... and did a double take. "What the heck?! He looks like my SISTER!" Lana rolled her eyes, and said, "Baka. Serena sent me to come get you." Kami's eyes widened. "How do YOU know my mother?!" he exclaimed, and all the guys immediately started laughing, though Joses was beginning to look at Lana suspiciously. Lana smiled, and decided to go with the absolute truth. "She adopted me. Or rather your little sister did. Now, are you coming back or do I have to knock you out and tie you to the horse?" she asked, glaring. Kami regained a little composure, and crossed his arms, saying, "I ain't going NOwhere." "Good." Lana said, grinning, and unsheathing her sword. "I was hoping I'd get a chance to use this." Kami immediately went SD style, yelling, "What are you doing with Grandpa's sword?! Mom wouldn't even let ME have it!" Lana jumped off the horse, and said, "Why am I not surprised? You ran out on her and your little sister after all." Lana glared at him. Cute or not, this guy had done something awful to Allelu, and she planned to take him back, conscious or not, to make up for it. "Why do YOU care?" he snarled at her, glaring right back. Lana had had enough. She flew at him, and hit him on the side of the head with the flat of her sword, quickly going SD and tying him up while he was dazed. "You guys got a spare horse I can use? I don't feel like having him riding behind me." she asked the other men, grinning. They stared at the tied and gagged Kami, who had swirls in his eyes, and sweatdropped. One quickly grabbed a horse, and Lana threw Kami sideways across the saddle, waving as she rode out the gates, leading the other horse by the reins. Joses quickly got on another horse and followed, just to make sure this guy's story was true.  
  
Lana and Kami had been riding for about fifteen minutes in silence. He had woken up as soon as they were out of the gates, and just to hear what he would say, Lana had taken off the gag. Though he had never said anything, just glared. Lana finally got sick of this. "Stop looking at me like I'M the bad guy. I can't believe you. Allelu is desperate without you, she'll latch onto ANYONE. Heck, did you know she found a girl unconscious in the woods, and before she even knew her name, she was saying the stranger was sent by the angels to make her and her mother less lonely? What kind of Jack@$$ does that to his LITTLE SISTER, huh?! Just when she loses ONE sibling, and doesn't see her father that often, you WALK OUT ON HER! What the heck's your PROBLEM, anyway?! Serena's the kindest woman I've ever known, and you just leave her behind with no one. What if they had been killed while you were gone? Would you have even CARED!?" Lana whirled to face him, and saw him looking down at the ground, face ashamed, eyes shining with tears. Lana sighed, and since she figured he was on too much of a guilt trip to run, she untied him, then faced forward again, not speaking. It was silent for a while before Kami finally asked, "So what happened to the girl Allelu found? I mean, where is she?" Lana glared at him, and said, "You're lookin' at her." 


	6. Chapter 6 Some People Don't Stay Mad Ver...

Disclaimer: If I have to say this one more time, I'll go nutz. I DON'T OWN IT!!!  
  
^*^AN^*^ I wrote a lotta chapters last night, so I don't think I'm going to be putting up author's notes for a while, just so ya know.  
  
Warnings: None, but a slightly uneventful chapter. ^_^;  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Kami's head jerked up, and he went wide-eyed. "You mean you're- you're-" Lana just snorted and looked forward again, saying, "After I drop ya off at Allelu's, I gotta return the horse, and then go to the capital to get your Dad. I promised your little sister I wouldn't be gone longer than I had to be." "You can't go into the capital on your own! That's suicide!" Kami cried, waving his hands around. Lana turned and glared at him, saying, "I was the only one eligible for the job at the house since SOMEONE didn't happen to be there. I don't need anyone's help." "Are you crazy!? The thugs at the capital make us bandits look like perfect gentlemen!" Kami yelled, grinding his teeth together. He couldn't let her go alone. Lana just turned back to the road, and said coldly, "I'll live. You just keep Allelu-chan occupied until I get back." Kami growled, and said, "If your going to the capital, I'm comin' with ya. You'll never make it on your own." Lana turned and gave him a cold look, before saying, "And have you run out on ME when I most need ya? No thanks. I'm better off on my own." Kami was shocked into silence, and didn't say anything all the way back.  
  
"I'm back!" Marisa yelled, rushing through the front door of Lana's Grandparent's house, grabbing some things from Lana's room before rushing up to her friend's grandparents. "Thank goodness!" Miaka-san cried, and ran out, pulling her into the living room. "Ok, just hold on to the book, and be careful!" she instructed Marisa, giving her a final hug, before handing the book to her. "I will be. Lana and I will be back in no time." she assured her friend's family, and held the book tight, calling, "I'm coming Lana!" when red light enveloped her. "Good luck Marisa." Miaka-san whispered when she disappeared, and said another silent prayer.  
  
Joses was shocked. He had been following Kami and 'Jireh' and had heard when Lana told Kami she was a girl. Joses cocked his head to one side, looking at her. He finally decided it had to be true. Her face was much too feminine to be male, and he also noticed much of her body was hidden by the cloak she was wearing. He winced. She also had the ATTITUDE of a woman. He felt sorry for Kami. This girl sure knew how to rub a guy's mistakes in his face. He guessed she had a reason to be angry though, she seemed to be really attached to Kami's little sister, and it sounded like little Allelu had had a rough time. "The girl's also a pretty good fighter. She managed to take Kami out without any injuries in record time." Joses thought with a sly grin, and edged his horse closer to the two riders. He noticed neither teen was saying anything, and the girl seemed to be positively radiating below freezing temperatures. "She obviously doesn't like Kami." Joses thought, shaking his head in wonder. Usually the girls were falling all over Kami, but this one seemed to DEFINETLY have something against him. Joses grinned again, and decided to make his presence known. He suddenly rode out of the woods next to them, and said, "Hey guys, what's up?"  
  
Lana nearly fell off her horse when the blue-haired man from earlier suddenly rode up out of nowhere, and greeted them. "Hello, Joses isn't it?" she said politely, and he smirked back at her, saying, "Hey babe. I take it your name isn't Jireh, is it?" Lana blushed, and said, "Crud, so you figured it out, huh?" Joses grinned, and said, "Yeah. I heard you guys earlier. Can't believe I was fooled earlier. Our men must be blind not to be able to see past your little disguise. You seriously need to do something to your face if you want to walk around as a guy. You look too much like a girl." Lana blushed even more, and heard Kami give a loud cough beside her. "Since we both already know you're a girl, why don't you take off the cloak? It's hot out here. You must be baking." Kami suggested, looking at Lana out of the corner of his eye. Lana shook her head, and said stiffly, "I'm fine. I still need to look like a guy if anyone else decides to stop us." "So what are we supposed to call you?" Joses asked, guiding his horse next to Lana's. Lana shrugged, and said, "Call me Jireh. It's the safest thing to do at the moment." "Come on, what's your real name?" Joses pressed, and Lana finally relented, and said, "My name's Lana." "Good. Now, the next thing to do is get you out of that cloak and back to looking like a girl. Kami's right. You'll get heat stroke out here. Plus if they see you're with two guys, no one's going to bother you anyway." Joses said, tugging playfully at the end of her cloak. Lana had to laugh a little at that, and after ten minutes of pestering, Lana finally asked if she did, would he leave her alone, to which Joses replied, "About the cloak anyway." with a twinkle in his eye. Lana rolled her eyes, and dismounted, going behind a boulder to make alterations to her outfit. "So what do you think of 'er?" Joses asked Kami, jerking a thumb in Lana's direction. Kami got a sour look and started to say, "I think-" But Lana walked out, and mounted her horse in one swift motion, saying, "Ready?" Joses and Kami both stared at her. Her long, auburn hair was out of the bandana, and brushed out, shining in the sun, hanging down to her shoulder blades, and now that the cloak was gone, both boys could see she had a thin and lean figure, built for speed and strength. And her face, now clean and free of all the dust and dirt that she had acquired on her journey, was quite pretty. Lana rolled her eyes at their looks, and said, "Let's get going. We should be there by midday tomorrow." She then nudged her horse into a trot, and kept a few yards ahead of the boys. "-she's beautiful." Kami finished hoarsely, staring at Lana's back. Joses gulped, and silently agreed. Suddenly he grinned, and looked at Kami with a smirk, saying, "Yeah, too bad your little sis adopted 'er. Oh well. That leaves her open for the rest of us eligible bachelors." Kami shot him a withering glare, and also went into a trot, catching up with Lana and riding by her side.  
  
"I think Kami must be a descendent of Tasuki's." Miaka mused, reading over Taka's shoulder. "Must be. Lana's been a real help to that little family, maybe after she's finished helping them, she can come home." Taka said semi-hopefully, knowing that probably wouldn't be the case. "At least she hasn't run into any trouble so far." Miaka pointed out, looking cheerful. "Yeah, but who knows how long THAT will last?" Taka sighed.  
  
The journey the rest of the day was uneventful, and that night Kami, Lana and Joses set up camp near a small spring. "You two can get a fire going, I'll go get us some food." Lana told them, pulling some fishing equipment out of one of her saddlebags. "Hey, those're MINE!" Kami exclaimed, and noticed suddenly that she was also wearing HIS clothes, and most of everything else she had was once his. Lana snorted, saying, "Of course. I don't have anything of my OWN, and you just left all of your things behind, so Serena-chan gave them to me." "WHAT!?" Kami yelled, going SD, trying to look through all of her bags seeing what all she had of his. Lana pulled him out of 'her' stuff, and said, "If you wanna eat, start the dang fire." Before dropping him, and going to go sit by the spring, tossing the line in the water. Kami grumbled, and helped Joses light a small fire, saying, "I can't believe Mom just gave all my stuff to someone." Joses chuckled, and said teasingly, "Don't worry, sharing with her won't be THAT bad." Kami glared at him, and after a while, Lana came back with several large trout. They ate in silence for a while, before Lana asked, "So why'd ya leave?" Kami looked at the fire for a while, before answering. "I guess I just felt like I needed some adventure. The house is so small, and it was just the three of us, I just needed to get out on my own and be with some other guys. I probably should have gone back to check on them at least once in a while though." Kami sighed in regret, and Lana just nodded. "Uhm hm. By the way, the house isn't so 'small' anymore. You guys had some extra room in the stable, so I put up a wall and made another room. I also built a shed for the firewood so it doesn't have to fill up the back room. Serena and Allelu definitely needed the extra space." Lana said, and stretched out on the ground, folding up her cloak and using it as a pillow. Joses and Kami stared at her, before Joses said, "You built all of that by yourself?!" Lana shrugged, and said, "Sure. Now let's get some sleep. We start out again early tomorrow. How far are you commin', Joses?" Joses yawned, and said, "I think I'll come along and see Kami's family. Don't know after that." Lana nodded, then looked at Kami, and said, "Sorry I bit your head off back there. Traveling for a long time with nothing to do tends to make me grumpy." Kami choked on part of his fish, and said, "What the heck?! You're not mad anymore?!" Lana grinned, and said, "Nah. I can't stay mad at ANYONE for a long time, and besides, you're coming back ain't ya? Even if you DO go back to the mountain after a while, I'll just go back and get ya again if you don't come back for a visit once in a while." Kami sputtered, and Lana chuckled, rolling onto her side to go to sleep. Joses and Kami looked at eachother, then Joses grinned mischievously, and flopped down on the ground next to Lana. "Goodnight!" he said with a wink at Kami, who looked liked he wanted to kill Joses. 


	7. Chapter 7 Enter Marisa

Disclaimer: You know the routine.  
  
Warnings: Another slightly slow chapter, Gomen! ^_^;;;;;;  
  
Chapter 7  
  
"Oof!" Marisa gasped, landing on a hard surface. "Itai, why couldn't they have made me land somewhere SOFT?" she groaned, and pushed herself up on her hands and knees, then sitting cross-legged. Marisa looked around, and froze. She was sitting on a table that had about least a dozen men surrounding it, all dressed in Chinese style. "Eep!" Marisa yelped, and jumped off the table, hurriedly bowing, and saying, "Gomen! Gomen, I'm so sorry!" "Who are you?" One of the men asked, sitting to the right of the head of the table. He was a tall man, with black hair to his shoulders, and a brown with white tail and ears cat on his shoulder. "My name's Marisa, I'm looking for a friend of mine who was sent here by mistake. Do you know how to get to Mt. Leikaka? That's where I last heard she was." Marisa was chewing on a fingernail, looking worried. "Your highness, could this be Suzaku no Miko, no da?" another man asked. He had short, dark green hair, and had amber eyes. Marisa looked confused, "Suzaku no-?" "Maybe, she did just appear in a red light." The man at the head of the table replied, looking at Marisa closely. He had midnight blue hair, tucked under a hat, and had royal robes on. Marisa suddenly snapped her fingers, saying, "Oh! You mean Miaka-san! Are you Hotohori?" Marisa suddenly realized this man must be the emperor, and blushed. The current Emperor smiled, and told her, "I am Sodom. Hotohori was my Great great great great great Grandfather on my mother's side." Marisa looked up, startled, and exclaimed, "What?! That much time has passed?! In our time, Lana arrived here last night, does that mean she could have grandchildren already too?!" "No, I don't think so, no da. I think one day in the other world is only three months here, no da." the man with dark green hair told her. "Three..... months?" Marisa asked, and then fainted.  
  
"Allelu-chan! Serena-chan! I'm back!" Lana yelled when they came in sight of the house. "Lan-chan!" Allelu screamed, and came hurtling out of the front door at her 'sister'. Lana barely had time to get off the horse before Allelu launched herself in Lana's arms. "Hey Allelu, have you been a good girl?" Lana asked, grinning. Allelu suddenly whimpered, looking guilty. Lana looked at her with a raised eyebrow, and slowly asked, "What'd you do?" "Lana! Thank goodness!" Serena cried, also running out the front door, and sweeping Lana into a hug. Lana returned the hug with a smile, before sighing, and asking in a tired voice, "Allelu looked extremely sorry for something when I asked if she had been good. What's she do, and what do I need to repair?" Kami and Joses looked at eachother with raised eyebrows. Serena grimaced, and said, "Allelu accidentally tore that patch you made on the roof over her room, knocked down a portion of the fence in Swifthoof's corral, so he's in the woods somewhere, he couldn't have gotten very far though. And we also need more firewood." Lana sighed, but gave Allelu a squeeze, saying, "Don't worry about it, Serena-chan. I'll have all that fixed in no time. By the way, the 'prodigal son' has returned." and jerking a thumb towards Kami, who blushed. "Kami!" Serena cried, and pulled her son off his horse, hugging him tightly, and slightly crying. "Oniisan! You're back!" Allelu cried, jumping from Lana's arms to Kami's. Lana chuckled, and then jumped off her horse, and put her hair in a ponytail, saying, "Serena, can you put Breeze up? I'll go find Swifthoof." Serena nodded, and Lana dashed off into the woods. "Oniisan! I can't believe it! Lan-chan really DID bring you back! I can't wait until DADDY gets home!" Allelu cried, jumping all around, and then pulling Kami into the house. "Look at all the neat stuff Lan-chan made!" she exclaimed, pulling her brother to her room, and pointing to several toys, a bookshelf with different kinds of feathers on it, and some stuffed animals. Kami whistled, and then noticed the hole in Allelu's roof. "How'd THAT happen?" he asked. Allelu winced, and said, "I was trying to figure out how to use Daddy's bow and arrow so I can help defend Mom, Lan- chan and me, and also help get food." "You're pretty young to be worrying about that kind of stuff, aren't ya?" Joses asked, leaning over with his hands on his knees to look her in the face. "Allelu's been trying to find ways she can help Lana-chan around the house for a while now." Serena explained, walking through the door. "Yeah, Oneesan's the best!" Allelu said, going all starry-eyed. Serena smiled and shook her head. "Come on, I'll get you two men some food." she said, winking at Kami and Joses. They both grinned, and shouted, "Arigato!" chasing after her.  
  
It was about half an hour before they heard Lana yell, "I'm back! Allelu-chan, could you come help me repair the fence?" Allelu excitedly yelled, "Hai!" and ran out the door. Joses looked at Serena with a raised eyebrow, saying, "Allelu helps with the repairs?" Serena chuckled, and said proudly, "Hai. Lana-chan lets her help, it gives her something to do, and makes Allelu feel useful. Lana-chan has also been teaching Allelu how to fight in case she ever needs it." Kami looked at Joses, and then grinned, saying, "Why don't we go watch?" Joses nodded with a grin also, and they both walked out to the corral. 


	8. Chapter 8 And Here's Tamahome, as a GIRL...

Disclaimer: I own Lana and everyone else in this fic but Miaka and Taka.  
  
Warnings: Eh, heh heh. *sweatdrop * Nothing bad in this Chapter, A little short though  
  
Chapter 8  
  
Marisa woke up with a groan. "Are you alright, no da?" a voice asked, and Marisa opened her eyes, seeing the green haired man's face just a few inches from hers. "Ack! What the-!" she cried, jumping up, surprised. "Don't worry, we won't hurt you." Sodom told her with a smile, and gestured towards the green haired man, saying, "This is Schola, and this," he gestured towards the tall man and his cat, "Is Rouin." The cat let out a 'mrow!' and the emperor chuckled, saying, "Oh, and this is Tama." Marisa gave them all a weak smile, saying, "Hello. I'm Marisa" "Where did you come from?" Rouin asked her, helping her to her feet. Marisa took a deep breath, and said, "I come from the last Suzaku no Miko's world. I got here through the same book Miaka-san did." Sodom, Schola, and Rouin all looked at eachother, and nodded, then Sodom turned to Marisa, and asked, "Marisa, as the emperor, I have a request to make of you." "Hai?" Marisa asked, a certain sense of foreboding coming over her. Sodom looked at her with a serious expression, and said, "Marisa, will you become the Suzaku no Miko and summon the Phoenix god for us?"  
  
"Ok, hold this board in place while I nail it in." Lana told Allelu, and began repairing the broken fence. "So where you from?" Joses asked Lana, leaning against one wall of the house, watching her. "I'm from Tokyo." she answered, telling Allelu to please hold the board straight. "Tokyo? Where's that?" Kami asked in confusion. "Oh, yeah, I'm in Konan aren't I? Ummm, I guess you could say I'm from another world." Lana said casually, Allelu acted as if she had expected this all along, and tried to hold the board straighter. Joses raised an eyebrow, and said, "Another world? Yeah, sure. How do you figure?" Lana stood up, stretching, thanking Allelu for helping her finish the fence, before turning to the two boys, and asking, "Do you know the story of Suzaku no Miko?" Kami laughed, and said, "Of course, who doesn't?" Lana smirked, and climbed up a tree, grabbing some reeds she was going to use to fix the roof, before jumping onto the top of the house, and looking down at them with a grin, saying, "Well, Suzaku no Miko, or Miaka, is my Grandmother."  
  
Marisa stared at Sodom with her mouth hanging open. "ME!?" she squeaked, having no more experience in leading people than being head of a Harry Potter Fan Club on the internet. "You come from another world, and know Suzaku no Miko, correct?" Sodom said, and Marisa nodded her head, mouth too dry to speak. "A country from the West, known as Seryuui territory is planning an attack on Konan. We had treaties with them, but they have nearly doubled their armies size, and our spies tell us they are planning an attack." Marisa face-faulted. "If you had treaties, why do you have spies in their country?" Sodom coughed, looking uncomfortable, and Schola changed the subject. "The Suzaku no Miko is a priestess who can call upon the God, Suzaku, when she has gathered seven warriors, and ask to have three wishes granted no da. We just want you to use the first one to bring peace to our country. The other two you can use however you please, no da." Marisa immediately had images of herself decked out in jewels, and going through the mall, grabbing everything in site. "I'll do it!" she cried, pumping a fist in the air, before she even seriously thought about it. "Everyone!" Sodom called out, and curtains on either side of the room were lifted, revealing servants, lords, and ladies. "Behold! Suzaku no Miko!" he called, and everyone bowed. Marisa couldn't help silently adding in her head, "Model two." Marisa had a feeling there was something she was forgetting, but shoved the thought out of her head when a handmaiden came up to her, asking her to please follow her, and she would get her into some palace attire.  
  
Joses and Kami stared at her with their mouths wide open while she bent down, and patched the hole in the roof, suddenly spotting something, and picking it up. "Allelu! I told you not to use the bow until I got back!" Lana scolded, holding the arrow she had found up in the air. Allelu looked up at her with tearful eyes, saying, "Gomen Lan-chan! I just wanted to help!" Lana sighed, and instantly forgave her, saying, "That's okay. Can you go get me the ax so I can go chop some firewood?" "Hai!" Allelu said, now cheerful again, running into the house. Lana jumped off the roof with a flip, and landed on the ground in front of the still stunned Kami and Joses, stretching. "Itai, I'm NEVER going to finish all the housework before supper. Oh well." Lana sighed, wincing as her back popped. Joses and Kami were still gaping at her, so she rolled her eyes, and went over, bopping them both on the head. "Stop staring. No, I'm not the next Suzaku no Miko, I wound up here by mistake." she told them shortly, taking the ax from Allelu, who ran out, with a smile and "Arigato" and walking into the woods. "You've been using a Granddaughter of THE Suzaku no Miko as your handyman?!" Joses cried, staring at Allelu and Kami. Kami gulped, and said, "There isn't some divine punishment for that, is there?" "What's wrong with Lana?" Allelu asked, looking worried. "Nothing, Allelu-chan." Kami told her quickly, and ran after Lana, Joses close behind. Allelu stared after them with a confused look, then shrugged and walked back in the house.  
  
Later, while Marisa was being waited on in her room in the palace, Schola was having a conversation with Sodom. "She said something about a friend of hers who was transported to this world, no da, shouldn't we let her find her companion before we send her to find the seishi?" he asked, respectively standing before the emperor's throne. "We don't have the time. We have to find the other seishi as soon as possible. Besides, she was worried about her friend before, now she seems to have forgotten all about her and seems to be happy, let her worry about it after her job is finished." Schola bowed stiffly, saying, "As you wish, no da." and left the throne room. He knew the emperor was right, and that finding the rest of the seishi was crucial at the moment, but the command still seemed somewhat cold to him. He sighed, and went to his room, sitting on the floor to meditate. Schola had decided a few years ago to follow the example of his ancestor, Chichiri, and become a monk who trained under Taiistkun. Schola decided to see if he could find Marisa's friend for her, and reached out with his chi, searching for another life pattern like Marisa's.  
  
Lana was cheerfully cutting wood, and had just gathered enough, when Joses and Kami ran up to her. "NOW what do you guys want?" she asked, looking at them slightly annoyed and walking back to the house. "How come you're WORKING HERE instead of letting everyone wait on you hand and foot at the Palace?" Joses asked bluntly. Lana stiffened, and said, " I like to work for my keep, not sit around like some prissy princess just because I know the right people." Lana told them, continuing on walking back to the house. Kami opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by two high- pitched screams coming from back at the house. "Allelu-chan!!! Serena- chan!!!" Lana cried, and dropped the logs, running as fast as she could back to the house, not noticing that a few buttons had been ripped off her shirt.  
  
Schola had managed to find Marisa's friend, and opened the connection so he could see her, and try to figure out where she was. The first thing he had seen was trees flashing by, and something running through them at amazing speed. "What-?" he thought confused, and then heard screams through the connection, and the thing burst out of a forest. Schola was frozen. The 'thing' was an auburn-haired girl with brown eyes, dressed in men's clothes. He pulled back the view and opened it wider so he could see what was going on around her. His stomach tightened when he saw Seryuui soldiers on horseback, laughing sickeningly and grabbing two people, a woman and a child, who were screaming for help.  
  
Lana burst out of the edge of the woods, and saw men on horseback kidnapping Serena and Allelu. "Get your hands off them!" Lana screamed, drawing the sword she had never had time to take off. "Lan-chan!" Allelu cried, desperately fighting in the grasp of a man. The men turned, and saw Lana. One's gaze traveled down, and he grinned widely. Lana looked down also, and realized the logs had caught a few buttons on her shirt when she dropped them. "Forget these two!" the man holding Allelu said, shoving her off his horse. Allelu gave a cry of pain when she landed, and quickly scrambled to Lana, clinging to her and whimpering. The man holding Serena also shoved her off his horse, and cried out, "Yeah! This one'll be worth more than the other two put together!" Serena quickly ran to Allelu and pulled her close to her, running into the house. "Well, I'm still getting the other two. They're still worth SOMETHING." one said, turning to the house. Lana screamed in rage, and felt sudden warmth on her chest, just below her collarbones. "You will not touch those two." she snarled, and flew at the men.  
  
Schola watched as the girl screamed at the men to release the two women, and the two women were shoved to the ground. One man turned to recapture the two girls Marisa's friend was protecting, and then the girl attacked. "Suzaku, the girl has a character on her!" Schola thought in shock, blushing when he registered where it was. He shook his head telling himself not to think about that, and watched as she went for the man nearest to her, who had dismounted. She fought with him for a while, finally getting an opening, but instead of killing the man, she knocked him unconscious with the flat of her sword, and turned to the other men who had dismounted, chest heaving, eyes narrowed in anger. Schola also noticed he was continually repeating in his head, "Good lord! I'm a monk, I'm a monk, I'mamonk,I'mamonk,I'mamonknoda!" 


	9. Chapter 9 You want me to WHAT!!!???

Disclaimer: I own my own creations.  
  
^*^AN^*^ I would like to thank Moomoomoxo and The Spatula Chick for reviewing! I just love reviews! ^___^  
  
Warnings: A little language, but not much. Also a short chapter. Gomen. ^_^;  
  
Chapter 9  
  
Lana looked at the rest of the men, anger coursing through her veins. They had DARED to try to take Serena and Allelu away?! Just when things were coming back together for the little family! She would not allow it. Not on her life. Lana snarled, and flew at a man, sword raised. Her sword hit his, which he had raised in defense with a clang, and she suddenly heard a voice in her head cry, "Look out!" She gasped, and spun around, seeing one of the men coming down upon her with his sword flashing towards her chest. Lana knew she wouldn't have time to react, and screamed, shutting her eyes tightly shut. Suddenly Lana felt a swift wind, and was swept right off the ground, being cradled next to something warm. Lana slowly opened her eyes, and gasped. Kami was carrying her, somehow having gotten her away from the men, and was looking at the jerks with anger flashing in his eyes.  
  
Kami and Joses had tried to follow Lana when she first started running, but had soon lost her in the forest and gotten slightly lost. ^_^; They had arrived just in time to see Lana fighting several men, and one swinging his sword at her. Lana 's words had flashed across Kami's mind as he watched this. "And have you run out on ME when I most need ya? No thanks. I'm better off on my own." Kami pulled something from inside him, and with incredible speed, swept Lana out of the range of danger. Now, Kami was just standing there, looking at the men with anger in his eyes, wondering what to do, cradling Lana in his arms. Suddenly realizing he was still holding her, he gently set her down on the ground. Lana looked at Kami for a second, before smirking, tossing him her dagger, and saying, "Ready to kick some @$$?" Kami grinned back at her, and got in fighting stance, saying, "They're not going to know what hit 'em."  
  
Schola watched as Lana and Kami both flew at the men, fighting like twin tornados until one of the men called a retreat, and they grabbed the unconscious or wounded men and galloped off, leaving a few horses behind. Schola thought Kami was Lana's brother. "Yeah! Run ya chickens!" Lana yelled after them, face grinning, but cradling her wounded forearm. "Lan- chan!" the child called, running outside the house. Lana turned, and Schola got a full view of her face, witnessing first hand the devastating effects of this girl's smile. Schola gulped, all thoughts of monk codes fleeing from his mind, and a hand at his side twitched, as if he wanted to reach out and help Lana's wounds heal. "I'm a monk." he told himself one more time, weakly. But another, stronger voice told him, "So what?" "Well, I'm not supposed to be affected by women, no da." he said, trying to reason with himself. "You warned her didn't you? You saw her, she heard you. Accept the fact that you happen to be human, baka." Schola decided he found this second voice severely annoying, and put all disturbing thoughts out of his head, getting up and walking out to the gardens.  
  
"I HATE Seryuui soldiers." Miaka growled, glaring at the book as if it was trying on purpose to displease her. "And what is Marisa DOING?! She's supposed to be looking for Lana!" "At least Kami got there in time, and all she got was a wounded arm." Taka said, not being able to decide whether to be relieved or worried. Miaka shot him a glare, as if to say, "She shouldn't have been wounded at ALL." then went back to reading the book.  
  
"Lan-chan!" Allelu cried, running out of the house. Lana turned, and smiled at her adopted sister, relieved she had not been hurt. "Hey Allelu- chan! Is Serena-chan okay?" Kami and Lana called. Allelu sweatdropped, and said, "Mom's getting some bandages, then she's going to make dinner." Lana face-faulted, and said, "Geez, she sure got over THAT quick." Serena came out of the house, arms full of healing supplies, and told Lana to sit down. Kami was fine, so he and Joses went back into the woods to get the logs and ax Lana had dropped. "Lana, I can't thank you ENOUGH for all that you've done for Allelu and I." Serena said softly, wrapping Lana's arm in bandages. Lana smiled, and said, "You two are like family to me. I'm more than happy to do what I can." Joses and Kami came back, and Lana got all of the horses the men had left behind in the corral with the other two. Surprisingly, the HORSES seemed to be nice, even if the MEN hadn't been. There were four horses, three male, one female, and in colors ranging from red to black. "Come up with name's for 'em yet, Allelu-chan?" Lana asked, when she and Allelu were done putting up all the saddles that had been on the horses. "Yep!" she said, happily. "The brown and black one is Campfire, because his fur makes him look like a campfire after it's gone out, this one is Raven, because he's all black, and the brown one with the white spot on his forehead is Star!" "What about the girl?" Lana asked. Allelu grinned, and said, "Her name is Lan-chan because her fur is red like your hair, and also has brown eyes like you! Plus she's the nicest." Lana laughed, and gave Allelu a hug, saying, "Well you take good care of 'Lan-chan' for me, okay?" "Hai!" Allelu agreed, and the two walked in the house.  
  
Later as Lana, Kami, Joses, Allelu and Serena were eating dinner, Lana asked Serena where in the capital her husband was. "He works at the palace as an advisor on the affairs of the people." Serena sighed. Lana grinned, and said, "Well, it's time he mingled with the people he's taking care of. Tomorrow, when I leave, I need you to-" Kami interrupted her, exclaiming, "You can't leave TOMORROW! You're arm is injured!!! And I still don't think you should go there without any back up! The capital is a dangerous place!" Lana groaned, and said, "Kami, we've been over this. I don't need-" "-Any help. Yeah right. I got two words for you. Bull-" Kami started to say, but Serena whacked him with a long handled spoon, yelling, "Kami! Not in front of Allelu!" Lana laughed at Kami, who was sitting on the floor SD style with a large bump on his head, and said, "Anyway, I need Joses to return the horse to the bandits, Kami to play with Allelu while I'm gone, and I'll also pick up anything you guys need to buy, just make me a list." Kami got back up, and looked like he was about to start arguing again, when Allelu innocently said, "Lan-chan, while you're at the capital, could you pick up some pretty white material?" Lana cocked her head, and said, "Yeah, I guess so, I'll probably need to do a few odd jobs to get the money though, it might not be cheap. What's it for?" Allelu grinned, and said, "It's going to be your wedding dress!" Lana laughed, saying, "Wedding dress?! Okay, who am I going to marry?" Allelu's grin got even wider, and she exclaimed, "Kami-chan!" Everyone gaped at the child for a second, before yelling, "WHHHHAAAATTT?!?!!?" 


	10. Chapter 10 Kids can be so manipulative.....

Disclaimer: If I owned the dang thing, would Chiriko have died?!  
  
^*^AN^*^ A big, huge THANK YOU to Eria for reviewing, and thank you for reminding me that Miaka and Taka should have an opinion on this. ^_^; I kind forgot about them. ^_^;;;;;;;;;;;;;  
  
Warnings: A little language  
  
Chapter 10  
  
"Miaka, you don't have to be worried about Lana. She's a seishi now, remember? She can take care of herself." Taka told his pacing wife. "You're right. At least she won't have to fight Marisa like I had to fight Yui." Miaka said, sighing in relief. Taka chuckled, then went back to reading the book.  
  
"Al-Allelu! I can't MARRY him! I just met him YESTERDAY!!!" Lana cried, blushing furiously. "But then you'd be my real sister!" Allelu said, pouting and then turned to her brother, eyes big and tearful. "Aww, sh*t. Here it comes." Kami thought, and cringed. "Oniisan, Lan-chan would make a wonderful wife! She's pretty, nice, brave, and cares about all of us a whole bunch! If you two got married, she wouldn't have to leave to find her family because WE'D be her family.... and that means she'd be able to be here and keep me from being lonely if you ever decide to leave again." Kami inwardly groaned, and tried to ignore his little sister's big eyes that were now filled with tears. "Allelu-chan, I'm completely SURE she doesn't want to marry me, and you wouldn't want to make her unhappy, would you?" Kami asked Allelu, desperately trying to get her to change her mind. Allelu immediately rounded on Lana, eyes getting an almost angelic look, and said, "Lan-chan? You DO want to marry Kami-chan, don't you?" Lana gave a yelp, and said, "Allelu! I JUST MET HIM! How the HECK am I supposed to KNOW if I want to or not?!" "Please Lan-chan, please, promise me you'll think about it?" Allelu pleaded, starting to cry. "I- I don't want to be lonely again." Lana looked helpless, giving the crying girl a hug, saying, "Please don't cry, Allelu- chan. You know I don't like to see you cry." "But after you go get Daddy, you won't have a reason to be here anymore, and you'll leave! Please Lan- chan, please, promise me you'll think about it!" Allelu sobbed, clinging to her shirt with tiny fists. Lana looked at the young girl for a second, before sighing, and leaning her forehead on the top of Allelu's little head, whispering, "Alright, alright, Allelu-chan. Stop crying. I promise you." Allelu looked up at Lana, wiping away the tear tracks on her cheeks, and smiled, jumping up and exclaiming, "Thank you Lan-chan! Come on Okaasan! Help me pick some flowers!" Then grabbing her mother's hand and dragging her outdoors. Lana stared after her for a second before jumping a mile high and screaming, "DID SHE JUST GET ME TO-?!" "Promise you'd consider marrying Kami? Yep." Joses said, sweatdropping. "That child is manipulative." Lana groaned, and sat down again, burying her face in her hands. "Oh man, what am I going to do? Knowing Allelu, if I tried to tell her I couldn't get married, she'd get me to promise I WOULD marry you." "Aww, now don't forget, you promised you'd consider it, Lan-chan." Kami told her teasingly. "DON'T call me that." Lana growled, then stood up with a sigh, running a hand through her hair, and said, "I'm going for a walk, see you guys later." Lana then walked out the door into the woods.  
  
Kami chuckled after Lana left, and turned to Joses, who was looking at him murderously. "Hey," Kami smirked, "Can I help it that I have such a wonderful little sister?" "Lana'll never go through with it." Joses snorted. Kami grinned, and said, "Guess I'll just have to change her mind, huh? Nobody can resist a bandit." "I don't know, there were a lot of things I thought no one could do, but that girl's proved me wrong." Joses said, looking doubtful. "Besides, you forget." he added with a smirk. "We're BOTH bandits. What if she ends up choosing me or someone else? Golly, you'd have to break a perfect record." Kami scowled at his friend, who just laughed.  
  
Marisa was having a wonderful time at the palace, and was walking through the gardens, watching the sunset with a few handmaidens when she saw the man, Schola, sitting next to a pond looking troubled. "Hey Schola! What cha doing?" Marisa asked cheerfully, dismissing the girls, and sitting next to the green-haired monk. Schola looked at Marisa with a start, and said with WAY to much cheerfulness, "Oh! Nothing Marisa-san! Just thinking, no da!" "'Bout what?" Marisa pressed. Schola sighed, knowing Sodom would be displeased if he reminded Marisa that she had come here for a differant purpose than being Suzaku no Miko, but he still wanted to ask her something. "Marisa-san, what's your friend like, no da?" Marisa looked confused for a second, before she gasped, and a hand flew to her mouth, and she exclaimed, "Oh SUZAKU! I COMPLETLY forgot about Lana!" "Lana, so that's her name." Schola thought, a smile pulling on the corners of his mouth. "Stop it, no da!" he ordered himself. "You have a job to do, focus on that!" "Don't worry about your friend, I found her earlier by searching for her chi, and she's safe." Schola told Marisa, trying to keep his mind on important matters. "I need to find her and get back to our world! I promised Miaka-san that I would!" Marisa cried, wringing her hands. Schola got a stern look, and told her, "You have a duty to help as Suzaku no Miko, no da. We need to find the seven celistial warriors, then I'm sure Sodom-sama would help you to get your friend and get back home." Marisa only looked more nervous, and Schola sighed, saying, "If I show her to you, will you calm down?" Marisa nodded fereverently, and said, "Hai hai!" Schola nodded, and concentrated on finding Lana's chi again. 


	11. Chapter 11 A more serious chapter... tho...

Disclaimer: Have there actually BEEN lawsuits over these things?  
  
^*^AN^*^ Question, should Lana end up with Kami, Joses or Schola? I already have the next few chapters written, but I need to know who you think Lana should end up with in case I need to make a few little changes.  
  
Warnings: None that I can think of, a little fight between Marisa and Lana though  
  
Chapter 11  
  
Lana sighed, looking in the water of the brook she had landed near when she had first been transported to this world. This had become a place she often went to to relax or think. "Geez, I can't believe I fell for that. Promising I'll think about it is almost as bad as telling Allelu flat out I'd marry her brother. And Kami, grr, he's just rubbing it in. Man, what am I gonna DO?!" Lana sighed, and ran the hand on the uninjured arm through her hair again. Lana looked at her reflection, seeing her flushed face, and cupped some water in her hands, splashing her face with it.  
  
Schola opened his eyes, and said, "I found her. She's near a brook, no da, so we'll use the water as sort of a window." Marisa nodded, though having no idea what he meant. Schola leaned over the edge of the pond, and murmured an incantation. Suddenly Marisa could see Lana in the water, though her friend seemed troubled. Marisa gulped as she looked at her friend. Her hair was longer than the last time Marisa had seen her, and she was wearing strange clothes. They looked like a man's tunic and pants, and Lana had a headband holding her hair away from her face. Marisa also noticed she had a sword strapped to her back, and a medallion around her neck. Lana's arm was out of view though, so Marisa had no idea Lana had been injured. Schola was also looking at Lana. He could feel his mouth going dry. "Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to bring her into view again." He thought weakly. She had stitched her tunic up with some tan thread that matched her shirt, and looked a little confused. "Lana!" Marisa cried out, and Schola saw Lana look around, before looking at the water closely, and jumping. "MARISA!?" she yelled.  
  
Lana looked at the water in shock. Marisa was there! But that was impossible! "Yeah Lana, it's me." Marisa told her with a smirk. Check that. It WAS possible. "What the heck's going on?!" Lana exclaimed, completely confused. "Lana, I'M in this world too. A friend who has some magic abilities let me see you." Lana gasped, and said, "You're HERE!? Where are you?!" Marisa looked at her, tears in her eyes, and said, "Lana, I'm so sorry. I'm at the palace in Konan. They made me Suzaku no Miko. I can't come get you."  
  
"Would one of you be a dear and get some water for the horses for me? There's a brook nearby." Serena asked Joses and Kami, holding out a bucket. "Awww, Mom." Kami complained, and Joses took the bucket, saying, "I'll get it, Serena-san. Where is the brook?" "Please call me Serena. And just follow the path behind the house." Serena told him with a smile. Joses nodded, and walked out. Joses came to the brook, and heard Lana talking to someone there. "You're HERE?! Where are you?!" he heard he exclaim. Joses quietly crept up on her, but saw no one else. Then he looked at the water like Lana was doing, and got a shock. Someone was looking back at Lana through the water! "Lana, I'm so sorry. I'm at the palace in Konan. They made me Suzaku no Miko. I can't come get you." the person replied, and Joses came up, looking over Lana's shoulder, and asked, "What's going on?"  
  
Lana yelled in surprise, and whipped around, seeing Joses inches from her face. "Who is THAT?" Marisa asked, and Lana saw her friend get hearts in her eyes and almost start drooling. Joses looked at her, and smirked, saying, "Hey babe. What's your name?" "Hey NO! You are NOT going to flirt with my BESTFRIEND. Good grief, she does NOT need YOU hitting on her." Lana snapped, looking annoyed. "What, jealous, Lan-chan?" Joses asked her, grinning. Lana snorted, and said, "As if. And don't call me that. I just don't think a BANDIT who almost ROBBED me would make the best boyfriend for Marisa-chan." "He WHAT, no da!?"  
  
Schola had told himself he would not talk, but he couldn't help himself when another man came up and started flirting with Suzaku no Miko and Lana, and Lana made that little comment about him being a bandit. "Uh oh, no da." He thought, when Lana gasped at his voice, and looked directly at him, saying, "YOU'RE the one who warned me earlier!" "Um, hai. I'm Schola." he told her, blushing furiously. Lana smiled at him warmly, and said, "Arigato, Schola." Schola blushed even darker, and Marisa giggled, before going serious, and saying, "Lana, I have to gather the seven celestial warriors before I can come get you, can you wait?" Schola sighed inwardly. He had decided not to tell anyone Lana was a seishi, they needed to find out on their own, it would help them prepare for any trouble they would face. It'd also teach Sodom that sometimes a little kindness would be greatly rewarded. "Hai. I can wait.... Marisa-chan." Lana said softly, looking away. Marisa bit her lip, and said, "Lana-chan, I accidentally forgot about you when I first told them I'd become the priestess, but I have to take responsibility, you understand don't you?" "It's fine. I've waited for months already, a little longer won't matter." Lana told her, standing up and turning away. "Lana-chan..." Marisa begged but trailed off, eyes widening in horror when she saw Lana's arm bandaged from the wrist to the elbow. "I'm going back to the house Joses, see you later." Lana said, and walked away.  
  
Joses sighed, and ran a hand through his blue hair, turning to Marisa and Schola, shrugging, and saying, "Sorry about that. Lana's had a rough time today. She fought some guys earlier and got hurt. She's also probably a little aggravated about Allelu-chan trying to get her to marry her older brother." Marisa stared at him, and said, "Her older brother?" Joses rolled his eyes, and said, "Allelu's gotten real attached to Lana, and wants her to marry Kami, her older brother and a fellow bandit, so she'll have a sister. Allelu actually tricked Lana into promising her she'd think about it too. Poor Lana's probably feeling like she's got no choice. It just wasn't that great of a day to tell her she'd been forgotten." Marisa looked at her hands, tears forming in her eyes, and said, "I can't believe so much has happened to Lana. I should have gotten here earlier!" "It's not your fault, babe." Joses told her, shaking his head and grinning. He looked at Marisa and winked, causing her to blush and look a little happier. "Anyway, I need to get back to, see you later!" He told Schola and Marisa, waving, dipping the bucket in the water, and then walking back down the path.  
  
Schola watched the image in the pond fade, and let out a breath. "She should not be forced to marry." he thought, shaking his head. "At least not until you've had YOUR chance, right?" the teasing voice in his head said, and Schola blushed. Marisa suddenly let out a squeal, and exclaimed, "He called me 'BABE'! My lord, wasn't he ADORABLE?" Schola sweatdropped, and said, "If you say so, na no da."  
  
Lana flopped down on her bed on her stomach. "I guess I should be glad I saw Marisa, but so much has happened, and Marisa didn't even remember me." Lana said to herself, sighing. "Lan-chan? You in here?" Allelu asked, poking her head in the door. "Yeah Allelu-chan. What is it?" Lana said, looking at her with a smile. Allelu never forgot Lana, she was always there when Lana needed someone to talk to, or even just a hug. Allelu smiled, and came in, hiding something behind her back, eyes sparkling. "What have you got, Allelu?" Lana said with a grin, getting up and taking the sword off her back, setting it across her pillow. "I made this for you, Lan-chan!" Allelu cried happily, running up to Lana, and holding something out to her. It was a necklace, it had a leather strap that would go around her neck, and at the end was an eagle's feather with several pretty beads at the sides. "Allelu! It's wonderful!" Lana cried, hugging the girl, and slipping the necklace around her neck. It came to about six inches below her neck, and gave her a 'nature girl' look. "Put it under your shirt so the feather doesn't get hurt." Allelu advised, and Lana nodded, tucking it under her tunic, before giving her another hug, and saying, "It's getting late, want to go out and watch the fireflies before I put you to bed?" Allelu nodded, and skipped out the door, holding Lana's hand. 


	12. Chapter 12 One problem solved, a million...

Disclaimer: If I have to tell you one more time.. ;P  
  
^*^AN^*^ Hello all! I'll try to make the chapters longer, Arigato for pointing that out, Moomoomoxo! ^_^; I also want to thank FishyKitty for her review! I'll try not to keep you waiting too long with the chapters! And thanks for your input! ^___^  
  
Warnings: Kami and Lana fight. Need I say more?  
  
Chapter 12  
  
Lana and Allelu were just about to go back inside, when Joses and Kami walked around the house, done feeding and watering the horses. "Hey girls! What cha doing?" Joses called, and Allelu waved her hand, calling "Watching the fireflies! Come see what I gave Lana!" Kami and Joses looked at eachother, shrugged, and walked over. Lana hesitantly pulled the necklace out from under her tunic. Kami glanced at it, not seeming too interested, but did a double take, and blushed furiously. Lana slowly raised an eyebrow, noticing Joses was also looking embarrassed. "....What?" Lana finally asked, looking at Allelu suspiciously. Joses cleared his throat a couple times, and said, "Um, Lana, you don't know what that is, do you?" Lana shook her head, feeling even more nervous. "...Do I want to know?" she asked, looking down at the seemingly innocent piece of jewelry. Allelu laughed nervously as Joses and Kami both shot her a look. "Those types of necklaces are given to brides." Kami told her, rubbing the back of her neck. Lana closed her eyes, prayed for strength, and took Allelu's hand firmly in hers, saying, "Allelu-chan, come with me. We're going to have a talk."  
  
"Is that the same type of necklace I was given?" Miaka asked, cocking her head at her husband. Taka nodded his head, and laughed, saying, "You don't think Lana's going to bring home a husband, do you?" Miaka laughed also, and said, "It IS possible, though he had better get a better job than a BANDIT if he wants to be MY son-in-law."  
  
"Allelu-chan..." Lana said, uncertain of what to say, walking with her 'little sister' along the path back to the brook. Allelu was staring at the ground, not meeting Lana's eyes. "Allelu-chan, look at me." Lana told her, and put a hand under her chin, lifting her face up so Lana could look her in the eye. "Allelu-chan, I'm not mad or upset." Lana said, smiling warmly at the scared girl. "You're- you're not?" Allelu asked, eyes wide. Lana shook her head, and said, "No, I'm not. But Allelu, I wish you'd stop trying to force me into this." Lana looked at Allelu pleadingly, and Allelu said quickly, "Oh Lan-chan, I'll stop, I promise! You don't have to marry Oniisan either! I just want you to STAY!" Lana smiled at Allelu and hugged her, saying, "You know I'll have to leave SOMEDAY, but if I ever do, I promise you I'll come back. And I'll stay as long as I can for now. Alright?" Allelu gave a happy yell, and grabbed Lana's hands, dancing around her. "Lan-chan, I can't wait until Daddy meets you! You'll be his favorite person in the whole world!" Allelu cried, and then raced with Lana back to the house.  
  
"So how do you think it went?" Joses asked Kami, they were both sitting at the kitchen table, and were fairly nervous. "I don't know, but I CAN'T get married, Joses! They'd laugh me offa the mountain if I went back and said, 'Oh, by the way, the big-bad-red-head-with-an-attitude got hitched to some chick he just met 'cause his lil' sis told him to!'" "Yeah, that sounds kinda dumb to me too. And don't call me a chick." Lana said, walking in kitchen. "So how'd it go?" Joses asked, noticing she was still wearing the necklace. Lana sighed in relief and sat in a chair, saying, "We don't have to get married, but it looks like I'm back to being 'oneesan'." Kami let loose a large breath he didn't realize he had been holding. Joses hit Kami on the arm, and commented, "A relief, even if it WOULD have been nice to have to share a bed with Lan-chan, right Kami?" Lana's head jerked up, and she whipped and hand at Joses, saying, "Hentai! And DON"T call me- *yawn*" Before Lana could hit Joses, she let out a huge yawn, and her hand dropped to her side. "I'm going to bed, I have to get up early tomorrow, night." Lana told them, and stood up. Kami yawned, and stood up also. "Yeah, you can sleep in the front room, Joses. There are a couple of extra blankets in the closet next to the door. Night you guys, see you in the morning." he said, and walked out the door at the same time as Lana. They both walked down the hall, not really registering the other was there, until they came to a door, and they both reached for the door handle at the same time. Lana looked over at Kami, now wider awake, and growled, "This is MY room." Kami glared back at Lana, and said, "Like H&!! it is. This is MY room." Lana snorted, opened the door, and walked right past Kami, saying, "Fine. You can do what you want, but I'm staying in here. You try anything and I'll KILL you." Kami snarled at her, but she just flopped down on her stomach on the bed, fully clothed, after leaning the sword up against the wall, and said, "Tough luck buddy. Either you share, or you can go sleep somewhere else." and rolled onto her side, trying to fall asleep. "No GIRL is going to kick me outta my own room." Kami said flatly, and began to walk into the room. "So you're ready to face the consequences in the morning when everyone wakes up and finds us in the same bed?" Lana asked, not even opening her eyes. Kami froze, swore, and walked into the front room, grabbing a blanket and flopping onto the floor. Out of earshot, Lana chuckled, changed into a pair of drawstring pants and a light tunic, took down her hair, and fell asleep.  
  
Schola tossed and turned in his bed. He just couldn't sleep. He had tried everything. Meditation, sleeping spells, incense candles, counting sheep, but nothing had worked. Schola sighed, and sat up, rubbing his temples. "Alright, think relaxing, calming thoughts." he ordered himself, relaxing, and letting his mind wander. "Relaxing and calming things..." he murmured to himself, and thoughts came at a trickle at first into his mind, and then in a rush. "Waterfalls, a cool breeze, warmth, comfort, happiness, being close to someone you love, comforting Lana when she feels lost or lonely, holding her in my arms, a- WHAT THE HECK?! WHERE'D THAT ONE ABOUT 'HOLDING' COME FROM?!" Schola snapped out of his semi-trance with a "Gakk!" and fell out of his bed. "Schola? Are you all right?" he heard Marisa call through his door. She had been coming back from the bath chambers to go to bed, and heard him fall. "I'm fine no da! Go on to sleep, Marisa-san!" he called, thanking Suzaku she couldn't see him blushing. Marisa just shrugged and went on to bed. Schola sighed in relief, and crawled back into his bed. He had changed into a pair of brown drawstring pants and a white tunic to sleep in, but now it seemed to hot, and he threw his shirt on a chair. He tried to go to sleep now that it felt cooler, but it didn't work. "I really should get to sleep, no da. We start looking for the seishi tomorrow." Schola said, as if trying to convince himself to sleep. "Well, everything else had failed, why don't you try the obvious?" came the smart- aleck reply. "Obvious?" "You're worried about Lana, Baka! Just check on her real quick and you'll be sleeping like a baby!" "But that's just using my powers to help myself, no da!" "If you want to get to sleep, just do it." Schola sighed, and concentrated on finding Lana's chi once again. He seemed to find it much quicker this time, maybe it was because he had already found it twice. Schola winced guiltily at this thought. Then he took a deep breath, and widened the connection so he could see her.  
  
Lana was lying on her side, breathing peacefully in her sleep, and having the most wonderful dream. She was dancing among the stars, following the Milky Way like a path. She had two beautiful wings arching gracefully from her back, that would open and carry her the extra distance when the jump from one star to another was too far. Suddenly though, while she was in mid jump from one constellation to another, black fire seared her wings, and she plummeted towards the Earth. She called to the stars for help, and they fell in torrents towards her, sweeping under her and supporting her. But the black fire came again, and struck the diamonds of light, causing them to falter, and Lana to fall to the Earth. She stood once she struck the ground, and opened her wings, trying to ascend back to the heavens, but Black Fire whipped around her arms, forming black and red chains that held her down. She called to the stars again, but she was on the Earth now and they could not reach her. The chains burned her wrists, marring her once fair skin, and causing tears of pain to fall from her eyes. Lana sobbed in sadness, thinking she would be confined forever, but a voice, soft as the wind, came to her, and said, "I'm sorry, I wish I could help." Lana looked up, and saw herself! Lana suddenly remembered the picture she had been looking at when she had come to this world, and knew she in the place of the angel that had been in the picture. Suddenly, the views switched, and Lana watched as the other her in the dream, reached out and stroked one of the angel's wings. The angel looked at Lana, tears falling down her face, but suddenly hope flashed in her eyes. "Help me!" the angel pleaded, and Lana asked how this was possible. "If you let me share your body, I can help you to defeat the Black Fire, then I can go home. I will keep you safe and protect your loved ones, all I ask in return is that you defeat the root of the Black Fire in your physical world." The other Lana chewed her lip, and finally said, "You don't deserve to be held down when you could be free. I will help you." The angel smiled through her tears, and said, "Thank you, sister. I am Faia. Give me your hand, and we will become one." Lana nodded, and gently took the angel's hand in hers. There was a silver flash, and Lana cried out as the pain the angel was experiencing came to her when they bonded. Her wrist became red with burns, and Lana was pretty sure the one under the bandages on her wounded arm was burnt too, but Lana could also feel the angel's heart filling with hope, and it strengthened her. "Together, sister, we will defeat hate and evil, and bring forth love and peace." Lana heard a soft voice in her head say, and she nodded. "Together." she thought back, and took a deep breath, preparing herself for the battle to come.  
  
Schola saw Lana sleeping peacefully, curled up on her side with her hands beside her head. "She looks like an angel." he thought, and smiled, feeling more relaxed. Lana was peaceful for a few more minutes, but then suddenly she gave a small gasp, and clutched her pillow in her sleep. Schola's eyebrows nit in confusion, and he said, "Nani, no da?" Lana groaned, and turned from side to side, teeth clenched. "She's having a nightmare." he realized, and started to look worried. Tears started falling from Lana's eyes onto her pillow, then she seemed calm for a second, before she suddenly cried out in pain, and her wrist without the bandages on it suddenly turned red, it looking as if someone had put red hot chains on her arm. Schola snapped out of it with a start, and grabbed the kasa off of his bedside table, and using it before he think anything through, he teleported to where Lana was. 


	13. Chapter 13 A little visit from the celes...

Disclaimer: Yes, I own Fushigi Yuugi. As well as Planet Earth. -_-  
  
^*^AN^*^ Boy, THIS is gonna take a while. First off, I think I'm gonna apologize for all the sentences being crammed together. ^_^; I got a lot of reviews about that, and would like to thank those who pointed it out to me. I hope it's easier to read now! ^_^  
  
~Viette Adele~ No, Serena and Selena are not the same person, just similar names. Yeah, I think I DID spell Kutou's God's name wrong, Gomen! ^_^; Yes, Joses is Koji's descendent! ^_^ I just love Kouji too much to leave him outta the story. ^___^ And yes, it SHOULD have been Grandson-in-law. -_-; I need to read over these better before I post 'em... But anyway, thank you SOOO much for your reviews! I'll write more chapters soon! ^_^  
  
~Eria~ Good to see you reviewed again! ^_^ But I kinda had more reviews for Schola/Lana, so I think that's the pairing I'm gonna use. Gomen! If you have any other favorite pairings, let me know and I'll see what I can do! Ja!  
  
~Saihitei no Miko a.k.a. Sanomi~ *swirly eyed * Boy, you sure figured out who you wanted to be together FAST. I'll see what I can do for Marissa/ Joses, and Schola/Lana is a definite possibility. And YES, I'd be very proud to have my story on your favorites list!!! ^___^  
  
Oh yeah, 'Kasa' is Chichiri's hat, and 'Kesa' is his cloak, I think.  
  
Warnings: None for this chapter! I'm so proud!  
  
Chapter 13  
  
Lana felt her wrists burning with intense pain, but couldn't wake up. Not just yet. "Sister, you can tell no one about me, it would put you and your friends in danger. As long as no one knows you and I are one, everything is safe." Lana heard a voice telling her, and another, sounding far away, saying, "Lana! Lana, wake up, na no da!" and something holding her.  
  
"Be safe, and watch for signs of Black Fire. It will be hard on your body for a few days to accept having me with you, you may be unconscious for a while, but you should get used to it soon. Farewell, my friend." the voice finished, and Lana slowly opened her eyes.  
  
"Schola?" she asked softly, seeing a pair of amber eyes looking at her worriedly.  
  
"Thank goodness, no da." Schola sighed, and looked down at her wrists. "Are you all right, no da?" he asked. Lana followed his gaze, let out a gasp, and held her wrists to her chest, then noticed Schola had his arms wrapped around her shoulders.  
  
"Itai, wh- what are you doing here, Schola?" Schola gently let go of Lana, and said, "I need to take you to Rouin. He'll heal you."  
  
"Who?" Lana asked, gritting her teeth against the pain that was now spreading throughout her whole body. Just her pulse beating in her wrists and temples caused intense pain, and her vision was beginning to get blurry.  
  
"He's a healer back at the palace, he'll heal you right- Lana?!" Schola started to explain, but cried out as Lana passed out.  
  
Schola didn't waste any time. He gently wrapped one arm around Lana's waist, and pulled his kasa down over the two of them with the other. As soon as he was back in his room, he threw his kasa on the bed, picked Lana up, one hand supporting her head, the other under her knees, and threw open his doors, running down the hall yelling for Rouin.  
  
"What's wrong, Schola?" Marisa asked, sleepily coming out of her room, at the same time as Sodom and Rouin.  
  
She blinked her eyes a few times, then screamed, "LANA!!! OMG, WHAT HAPPENED?!"  
  
Kami and Joses woke with a start when they heard someone yell.  
  
"Who the heck was that? It didn't sound like any of the girls." Kami said, rubbing his eyes.  
  
Joses quickly got up, and said, "Come on. It came from Lana's room."  
  
"You mean MY room." Kami growled, but also got up. Joses rolled his eyes. Kami had grumbled about the fight over his room for about an hour before he finally fell asleep. Joses and Kami both ran to the room, and threw open the door. Seeing a green haired man holding Lana a second before he disappeared.  
  
"LANA!" they both yelled, but he was already gone.  
  
"Hey! That was the guy from the brook earlier today!" Joses suddenly exclaimed, and Kami whirled around, saying, "What do you mean?!"  
  
Joses sweatdropped, and rubbed the back of his neck, saying, "Oh yeah, I never told you about that did I? Heh heh."  
  
Kami grabbed Joses by the front of the shirt, and growled, "What happened, ya jerk?!"  
  
"I don't know, no da. She needs healed, though. Rouin, can you-" Schola started to say, but the healer had already taken Lana from him. "Daaaa, he's fast." Schola said, sweatdropping, as Rouin checked Lana over, removing the bandages from her injured arm.  
  
"Her wrists need to be tended to first, Schola, please go get me some herbs." Schola nodded, and ran off.  
  
"Why don't you use your powers?" Marisa asked, looking at Lana and biting her thumbnail.  
  
"It's not bad enough to where I need to drain myself. It should only take a few hours for her wrists to heal, and the cut isn't that bad." Rouin told her, and thanked Schola, who had returned with the herbs. Marisa suddenly looked from Schola to Lana, and back again a suspicious look forming on her face.  
  
"Schola, what were you DOING?" Marisa asked.  
  
"How did this happen?" Sodom added, also looking at Schola with a strange expression.  
  
"Nani?" Schola said, confused.  
  
"How did you know Lana was hurt?" Marisa asked, and Sodom asked, "Who IS this girl?"  
  
Schola purposely answered Sodom first. "This is the friend of Marisa-san's she was talking about. I found her by searching for her chi." Schola said.  
  
Marisa opened her mouth to ask her question again, but Schola quickly said, "I should probably tell her friends where she is, no da." and ran out, throwing on a shirt and teleporting.  
  
"And I don't know what he was doing with Lana, but I don't think there's any way to find out where he went." Joses finished, and Serena, Kami, and Allelu all groaned.  
  
"Maybe he'll bring her back?" Allelu asked innocently.  
  
Kami scratched the back of his neck, and said, "Er, Allelu, if any guy kidnapped Lana, I don't think they'd bring her back anytime soon."  
  
"Why not?" Allelu asked, eyes wide.  
  
Kami sighed, and then said, "I was a bandit don't forget. When WE kidnapped women, we always kept them for at LEAST a week. And that was IF their families paid the ransom."  
  
"Was?" Joses asked, eyebrow raised.  
  
"Er, AM." Kami said, looking slightly nervous.  
  
"DAAA!!!" a voice suddenly cried, and the green haired guy appeared in SD form on the table.  
  
"AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!" Joses and Kami yelled, going through the roof, then landing again with a thud.  
  
"Hello, no da! Are you Lana ch-san's friends?"  
  
"Why yes, who are you?" Serena asked politely.  
  
"I'm Schola, no da, of the Suzaku seishi. I just came to tell you that Lana's at the palace in Konan, and not to worry." Schola told her, jumping off the table and going into normal form.  
  
"Lan-chan's at the capitol?" Allelu asked, starting to grin.  
  
"Hai, no da." Schola said, nodding, but was attacked by Kami.  
  
"TAKE. ME. TO. LANA. NOW!!!!" Kami growled, grabbing the front of Schola's shirt.  
  
"Who are YOU, no da?" Schola said, eyes narrowing.  
  
"This is my son, Kami. He's a friend of Lana-chan's." Serena explained, prying her son off the monk.  
  
"How close of a friend?" Schola asked before he could stop himself.  
  
"I'm Allelu!" Allelu introduced herself just in time to stop a fight from breaking loose between the two boys.  
  
"Are YOU going to marry Lan-chan?" she asked, face all innocent. You could just see the halo.  
  
Schola squawked, and blushed deeply, stammering, "Wh- what? Me? Why do you ask, na no da?"  
  
"You almost called her Lana-chan, and you like her, don't you?" Allelu said, eyes wide in innocence, and twisting a strand of her hair.  
  
Schola shook his head violently, and said, "I don't know what you're talking about, no da! I just met her in person a few minutes ago!"  
  
"Speaking of which, what were you doing in Lana's room? Oh, by the way, nice to see you have a shirt on now." Joses smirked, and smirked even more when Schola turned several shades of crimson.  
  
"I was checking on her for Marisa-chan, and saw she had burned her wrists, so I took her to the palace healer. I was just about to go to sleep when I came and got her, no da!" Schola said, knowing the thing about Marisa was a flat out lie, but not caring at the moment.  
  
"Lana never burned her wrists." Kami said, looking at Schola in suspicion and distrust. Allelu on the other hand was more believing.  
  
"Lana's hurt? Please take me to her, Schola-san." she said in a surprisingly adult voice.  
  
Schola thought for a second, before saying, "Okay, no da." and taking off his kesa.  
  
"Wait a second, if you're gonna take her, you're taking ME too!" Kami snarled.  
  
"I'm coming if Kami is." Joses said too, crossing his arms.  
  
"I would like to check on Lana-chan too if you don't mind, she's like a daughter to me." Serena added. By now poor Schola had swirls in his eyes and was back in SD form.  
  
"Schola-san?" Allelu asked gently, and shook his shoulder.  
  
"Okay, you can all come, no da. YOU'RE going to have to explain to the emperor what you're doing at the palace though." Schola said finally, looking like he had a headache.  
  
"We'll just use whatever excuse Lana did." Kami said with a shrug.  
  
Schola sweatdropped. "Um, Lana didn't use an excuse, no da." he told them, not sure how he was going to explain this one.  
  
"What do you mean?" Serena asked, confused.  
  
Schola poked the tips of his index fingers together, and said nervously, "Um, Lana-san's been unconscious since before I brought her to the palace, no da."  
  
"Why won't Lana wake back up, Rouin?" Marisa asked worriedly, putting a cool cloth on Lana's forehead. While they had been treating her wrists and the cut on her arm, Lana had broken out in a fever.  
  
"This just keeps on getting worse and worse." Rouin sighed, and finally set the herbs aside, sighing and saying, "Alright Marisa-san, stand back. I'm going to have to use my powers on her." Marisa nodded and stood a little ways away from the bed. Rouin held up a hand to Lana, and a glowing red symbol appeared on his palm. Marisa sighed in relief when she saw that Lana's flushed face went back to normal, and the cut on her arm healed.  
  
Rouin took his hand away, and said, "That should do i- What? Her wrists are still burned, they should be healed!" Marisa leaned over, and saw that indeed, Lana's wrists were still an angry red.  
  
"Maybe we should just bandage them with some herbs like earlier." she suggested. Rouin reluctantly nodded, looking confused, and smeared a paste made from several herbs on Lana's wrists, then put bandages over them.  
  
"How is your friend?" Sodom asked, looking into the room.  
  
"Her wrists are still burnt, and she has not regained consciousness." Rouin sighed, and stood.  
  
"I suggest we let her rest, and get some sleep ourselves." Sodom and Marisa nodded in agreement, and walked out of the room.  
  
"Shouldn't Schola be back by now?" Marisa asked. 


	14. Chapter 14 New Seishi and new grudges

Disclaimer: Do you want me to draw you a picture? -_-;;  
  
^*^AN^*^ Things in 'these marks' are thoughts, things in "these marks" are words. And thank you for your reviews, FishyKittie and Moomoomoxo! ^_^ (Thank you for your suggestion, FishyKittie, I'll do that. ^_^)  
  
Warnings: A little language.  
  
Chapter 14  
  
"What do you mean unconscious?!" Kami exclaimed, grabbing Schola's shirt again.  
  
"Do you want to go to her or not, na no da?" Schola snapped, now slightly annoyed with the red-haired bandit.  
  
"Yes we do." Allelu said, stepping in between her brother and the monk.  
  
"Alright, everyone gather around. I'll teleport us, no da." Schola instructed, and they all disappeared a second later.  
  
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Miaka groaned, and put her head in her hands. "What's going on?! Angels, monks, Black Fire, this is too dang CUNFUSING!!!" she cried, pummeling a cushion on the couch she was sitting on.  
  
"It's nothing like OUR adventures, that's for sure." Taka sighed, and gently grabbed Miaka's wrists to stop her. "Why don't you lie down? I'll tell you if anything important happens." he suggested, and Miaka hesitated a second before nodding, and going to their room, flopping down on the bed.  
  
"Suzaku, please keep them safe and bring them home soon." Miaka whispered, and then fell into a deep sleep.  
  
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Marisa, Sodom and Rouin were beginning to get worried, when they heard someone from inside the room Lana was in, say, "Here we are, no da." Next they heard several voices, one Marisa could identify, but the rest were from people she didn't know.  
  
"Oh my, what a nice room!" said a voice that sounded like a woman's.  
  
"Whatever. I like Mt. Leikaka better." growled a boys voice.  
  
"Aw stuff it, Kami. Where's Lana?" Marisa heard the one called Joses snap.  
  
"Lan-chan!" a child's, girl by the sound of it, exclaimed.  
  
Sodom, Rouin and Marisa all spun around and opened the door again to see Schola, and four other people looking at Lana worriedly. Schola turned to the other Suzaku warriors and his miko, and blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. "They insisted on coming, no da. This is Lana-san's, er, 'family'."  
  
"Thank you for taking care of Lana." Serena said, bowing to them respectfully.  
  
Sodom looked at her and blinked, then stepped forward and took her hand, giving a charming smile and kissing it, saying, "It was our pleasure. Though quite unexpected, if I may. We don't usually have such.... rugged looking women as guests here." Sodom said, casting a brief disapproving look at Lana. Kami gave a low growl that only Allelu and Joses heard.  
  
"Would you and your friends like to stay here until Lana-san gets well?" Schola asked quickly.  
  
Serena smiled half-heartedly, and said, "If you don't mind. I am Serena Drionia. This is my daughter, Allelu, my son, Kami, and a friend of his, Joses. Lana had been staying with me for the past few months."  
  
Marisa thought she saw disappointment flash in Sodom's eyes, but it was gone so quick she thought maybe it was just lack of sleep. Sodom suddenly looked a little confused.  
  
"Drionia? I think I have an adviser by that name. Are you of any relation to him?"  
  
Serena gave a light chuckle, and said, "I am his wife." Sodom's eyes widened, then narrowed, but Marisa doubted any but her noticed. She had a knack for spotting people's feelings, that's why she and Lana were such good friends.  
  
"I see. Well, why don't we set you all up in rooms and we can come back and check on Marisa's friend in the morning." Sodom suggested.  
  
"Can I stay in here?" Allelu asked, looking up, biting her lip. Schola smiled kindly at her, and said, "I'll set up another bed in this room for you, no da."  
  
"Arigato." Allelu said, giving him a weak smile, then turning back to Lana with a worried look.  
  
"Er, would you mind putting the rest of us in close-by rooms?" Kami asked, looking a little untrustingly at Rouin, Sodom and Schola. Marisa followed his gaze, and gave a short laugh.  
  
"I don't think you have to worry about these three. The one with the green hair is named Schola, and is a Monk. The one in the robes is the emperor, and the other man is named Rouin, and he is a healer." she said, giggling.  
  
Kami blushed, and said, "Gomen. Um, no offense guys."  
  
"None taken." Rouin said, smiling, looking ready to laugh also.  
  
Schola just mumbled a, "S'okay, no da." and yawned.  
  
Sodom stiffened, and said, "Our 'guest' is a little young for me, a child, if you haven't noticed. Plus she's dressed like a man and a friend of our Miko's."  
  
"She's got a name, ya know." Kami growled from his position next to Joses and Allelu, who were all still leaning over Lana.  
  
Marisa coughed, and said, "I meet Joses before, but I don't believe we've been introduced. I'm Marisa, the Suzaku no Miko."  
  
Kami and Joses both looked up now, and looked from Marisa to Lana several times. "Guess she was right." Joses said, a slow grin spreading across his face.  
  
"'Bout what?" Allelu asked, looking at Lana worriedly and taking her hand.  
  
"Aw, she just told us off for suggesting she was Suzaku no Miko." Joses said, chuckling.  
  
Sodom's eyes narrowed, and he said, "This girl was impersonating Suzaku no Miko?"  
  
Kami bared his teeth at the emperor, a red character on his cheek blazing to life, and Allelu just turned and glared at Sodom. "'This girl'," Kami said, eyes angry and just barely on the edge of hatred, "Is the original Suzaku no Miko's granddaughter, and if you ever suggest she would do something dishonorable again, I'll-"  
  
"Lan-chan is not the kind of person you have obviously judged her as." Allelu said, voice and eyes cold. Suddenly she smirked, and said, "And I would also think turning two of your own warriors against you was not what you wanted to do." All of the others, who had been staring at Kami's mark now looked at Allelu in confusion.  
  
Allelu got a serious look on her face, and lifted up the corner of her nightdress, revealing a glowing character on her calf.  
  
Sodom suddenly paled, and repeated, "...Turning two of my own warriors against me?"  
  
Allelu looked at him, her face deadly serious, and said, "If Lana finds out what you said about her, it will be three. She is the celestial warrior Tamahome. And I, Chiriko, for one, do not like you. I don't think my brother, Tasuki, does either. Lana has been an angel and older sister to me for the last few months since she arrived here, and has done nothing but try to help whoever she has come across. She would never impersonate the priestess unless it was to ensure her safety. Also, Marisa has obviously told you Lana was a friend of hers, do you really think she has such poor taste in friends, and would do anything but choose the most honorable people as her friends?"  
  
Sodom paled even further, and turned, bowing to Marisa, mumbling, "I meant no offense, priestess."  
  
Marisa told him it was all right, and then looked at Kami, Joses, Allelu, and Serena, and said, "Please forgive Sodom-sama, he did not mean any offense, maybe we should all get some sleep and talk about this in the morning?" Serena gave a quick nod, and while Sodom called a servant to make the extra rooms, she quietly scolded her children.  
  
"Kami! Allelu! This man was kind enough to offer us rooms, and all you did was insult him! He IS the emperor, I expect you to show more respect from now on." Kami started to object, but Serena shot him a glare, and he just grumbled, before turning back to Lana.  
  
Serena then turned to Allelu, but just said, "You're Chiriko? Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
Allelu looked at her mother guiltily, and gave a small sniff, saying, "I didn't want to have to leave you."  
  
Serena couldn't help it, she melted, and hugged her daughter, whispering, "You and I will never part, Allelu-chan."  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^^^*^*^*  
  
'Oi, they laid me on my back, I can never sleep like this. This is going to be one h&!! of a night.' Lana thought in disgust. She had partly wakened, but still was unable to wake up.  
  
'It will be over soon, sister.' Faia responded.  
  
'Man, I can't move! When can I come outta this phase?' Lana said, trying in vain to open her eyes. She could her the sounds of things going on around her, and the tones, but not the words. It was driving her insane.  
  
Lana heard a soft chuckle, and Faia said, 'By tomorrow morning, you should be able to regain conciseness, though you will be slightly weak for a while. I have to tell you though, the burns will not disappear until we have defeated the Black Fire. We may be bonded, but half of me is still being held by those stupid chains.' Lana had to laugh mentally when she heard the obvious pout in the angel's voice.  
  
'Well, if I'm stuck like this for a while, I'm going to try to get to sleep, g-night.' Lana thought, and slipped back into total darkness. 


	15. Chapter 15 And a conspiracy is forming b...

Disclaimer: Yes, I would give up all my worldly possessions to own it, but I still don't. sigh  
  
^*^AN^*^ Thanks to Moomoomoxo for reviewing! ^_^ Lana and Faia aren't in this chapter, but there's lots of Allelu- cuteness! ^-^  
  
Warnings: Just some teasing of poor Schola. ^-^  
  
Chapter 15  
  
Marisa was staring up at the canopy above her bed. She just couldn't sleep. There were good and bad things that had happened, and trying to sort out one from the other was confusing. Okay, they had found three more warriors today, which meant they only had one left. Marisa ticked off the one's they already had on her fingers.  
  
There was Lana, who was Tamahome, Marisa still found that hard to believe, but she supposed she would just ask Lana about it when she woke up, which would hopefully be soon, Rouin, who was Mitsukake, Schola, who was Chichiri, Sodom, who was Hotohori, that guy, 'Kami' was Tasuki, and Lana's 'little sister', Allelu, was Chiriko. That only left Nuriko, who was supposed to have super strength.  
  
That was the good thing. The bad thing was Lana was already mad at her, and Kami and Allelu both disliked Sodom. Marisa had to admit, he could have used Lana's name at least ONCE, instead of 'this girl', and 'Marisa's friend', so Marisa was worried that all three of them would refuse to help her. She was sure Lana would forgive her soon, pretty sure anyway, but the other two red head's seemed a little less forgiving. She'd probably have to do some major begging to get them to work alongside Sodom. Marisa sighed and rolled onto her side, looking sadly at the wall.  
  
If she summoned Suzaku, she and Lana could both go home, but now that Lana had a 'family' here, would she WANT to go back? Marisa groaned, and got out of bed, throwing on a robe. She would just go to Lana's room for a second to check on her, then go back to sleep. Lana would wake up soon, and then they'd talk. ....Hopefully.  
  
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Kami growled and rolled over on his bed. That dang emperor, he had acted like Lana was only useful as Suzaku no Miko's lackey. He couldn't help being protective of Lana. She reminded him so much of his late sister, and he missed his oneesan badly. She had always been so full of laughter, and was good at keeping Allelu in line. Kami sighed and sat up, swinging his legs out of bed. Maybe a walk would help him get to sleep. Suddenly Kami heard quiet footsteps outside his door. He quickly snuck over and opened the door a crack. He saw Allelu walking down the hall.  
  
"Allelu-chan? What're you doing?" Kami whispered loudly, aware that others were sleeping. Allelu looked over her shoulder, and whispered back, "I went to get some flowers from a garden I saw. I'll give them to Lana in the morning. Now I'm going back to our room." Kami sighed and opened his door all the way, closing it after him as he walked up to Allelu.  
  
"Come on, I'll walk with ya down there. Wouldn't want you to get lost." he said, giving his younger sister a lopsided grin. Allelu smiled back, and took his hand, leading him down the hall. "Lan-chan reminds me so much of Oneesan, do you think she would be our sister for us?" Allelu asked, eyes hoping, but sad.  
  
Kami smiled down at her, and squeezed her hand, saying, " She already is Allelu-chan, she loves us. She's family." Allelu smiled, and wiped her eyes, saying, "You're right. She loves us. Me, Mom, even you." Kami gave her a mock glare, and Allelu had to bite down on her fist to keep from laughing and waking someone up.  
  
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Schola was also having trouble sleeping. He was confused about Lana. He shouldn't have been spying on her, but because he did, she got to a doctor before anything bad happened. So did that mean it was okay? And to top it all off, he STILL couldn't sleep.  
  
"Maybe I'll just go see how she's doing..." Schola thought, but decided against it. His mind went back to what happened a while ago. Schola had actually been glad when Kami had said something. If he hadn't, Schola might have told off the emperor himself. Schola admitted that Sodom was doing a good job as the emperor, he was fair and honorable, but he just lacked necessary people skills, and seemed to say the wrong thing sometimes. If he wasn't careful the three red haired seishi might desert. Then Schola would have to save their hides as usual.  
  
Schola sighed, feeling a little annoyed, and rolled over, trying once again to fall asleep.  
  
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Marisa walked down the hall to Lana's room, thinking hard about what she would do if Lana wanted to STAY here. Drag her back kicking and screaming? No, Lana would resent her for the rest of her days. And Marisa couldn't leave without her, could she? Marisa groaned, and came to a bend in the hall, where Lana's room was. Marisa reached for the door handle just as someone else did.  
  
Marisa slowly looked up, and saw the guy, Kami looking back at her with Allelu behind him looking curiously at her. Marisa'a eyes narrowed. Seishi or not, she didn't like the idea of a guy sneaking into Lana's room at night. "Hello, may I ask what you were planning on doing in Lana-chan's room?" Marisa asked politely, but was looking at Kami in suspicion. Kami blushed, and jumped back, saying, "I was just walking Allelu-chan here!"  
  
Marisa looked at the small girl, who smiled innocently, and grinned back. Then Marisa said, "Okay, I was going to check on her. Do you have any idea when she'll wake up?" While she was saying this, Marisa opened the door to Lana's room, walking in and gesturing for the other two to follow her. Kami sighed, and said, "No, that guy, Schola, just told us that you were having him check on her, and Lana fainted, so he brought her here."  
  
Marisa flushed slightly, and said, "Um, I didn't tell Schola-san to do anything, I think he was just checking on her of his own free will. Though I AM glad he got her here in time." Allelu grinned as she pulled a chair up to the side of Lana's bed, and said smugly, "I KNEW he like Lan-chan."  
  
"Hmm, he WAS acting weird today when Mom told him I was a friend of Lana's, maybe he DOES-" Kami started to say, but was cut off by Marisa giggling, "Schola's a monk, I think it's against their religion to get girlfriends." Kami and Allelu face-faulted.  
  
"You're not exactly the kind of Priestess I expected." Kami admitted, looking at Marisa out of the corner of his eye. "Good." Marisa said with a grin, and also pulled up a chair, sitting next to Allelu.  
  
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Schola's room was next to Lana's, and he was just about asleep when he heard voices coming from the other side of the wall. "Daaaa...." he groaned miserably, and swung his legs out of bed, yawning and opening the door. "What are they DOING?!" he growled, rubbing his eyes, and knocked twice before sticking his head in Lana's door, and saying a tad grumpily, "What are you doing in here, no da?"  
  
Marisa jumped, and said, "Oh, sorry Schola-san, I forgot you were next door." "Hello!" Allelu said with an impish grin, and said innocently, "It's too bad you're a monk, Lana's quite nice, she would have made a good wife."  
  
Schola, now fully awake, blushed wildly, and stammered, "I- er, well... Good night, ya know?" and quickly backed out the door, still blushing.  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Kami and Allelu burst out in quiet laughter when he left, and Marisa exercised all of her self-control not to join them. "Now, that wasn't nice. Poor Schola doesn't need to be teased so much." Marisa scolded, but felt a grin tugging on the edge of her mouth.  
  
"Aw, whatever. I think we need to get those two together. Lana could teach that guy to have a little fun." Kami said with a grin, keeping his voice down so Schola couldn't hear them. Marisa nibbled on her thumbnail, thinking about this possibility. Schola DID seem to be extremely serious, and Lana, she was known to pull ANYONE into her idiotic plans for fun. She was also the sweetest girl Marisa knew, if you got past her attitude towards the jerks at their school.  
  
Marisa grinned back at the red-haired bandit mischievously, and said, "I think it might take a little work, but we might be able to pull it off."  
  
Allelu giggled, and pulled both of them close to her so they could hear her whispering, "Now we just have to come up with a plan..." 


	16. Chapter 16 Dear SUZAKU, an Update!

^*^AN^*^ I am SOO sorry I haven't updated in so long! School started, and then I had to train the middle schoolers, learn how to play the guitar (family tradition) and all sorts of other junk. Then I tried to find my story, and couldn't, and it's just been so crazy. *bows* Please forgive me, I'll go faster next time! Promise!  
  
I want to thank Eria and Katrina B Trerrence for reviewing, you people are great!!! I hope you like this chapter, though Kyle doesn't make an appearance in this on, Gomen! (Note: I ALWAYS thank my reviewers, so if you wanna be mentioned, just leave a review! ^_^ Or if you don't wanna be mentioned, just tell me so when you review) Anyway, read and review!  
  
Chapter 16  
  
The next day, Lana woke up with a groan, she could tell by the sun outside that it had to be about noon. Lana's eyes slowly widened. Where was she? She didn't see anything familiar, and she hurt like heck. Suddenly she remembered Schola saying something about the 'palace' before she passed out, and grinned evilly. She was quite disappointed there was no one there to notice she had woken up, and she wasn't even SURE where she was, so she decided to get their attention in her own little way.  
  
Lana filled up her lungs, and yelled at the top of her lungs, "WHERE THE HECK AM I?!?!?!?!?"  
  
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The seishi and Serena had finally gotten everyone to come eat lunch, and they were all sitting at the dining table, eating, when a scream echoed around the palace.  
  
Serena made out, "WHERE THE HECK AM I?!?!?!?!?" and dropped her cup in shock.  
  
"I think Lana-chan's awake." she said weakly. Immediately Kami, Allelu, Marisa, Joses, and Schola were running to Lana's room, where servants were blocking the hallway.  
  
"Oi! Let me out! I hurt like heck and am NOT in the mood for this!!!" they heard Lana growl at someone, and another voice, a girl who worked in the palace probably, pleading with her.  
  
"Please Miss! You need to get into proper attire before you explore, and we need a doctor to look at you, you don't seem to healthy."  
  
"Aw, who cares what I'm wearin'? And your completely right, I'm not at the moment, but I'm supposed to feel better in a few days, now, LET ME PASS!" Lana replied sounding like she was about to loose patience.  
  
Allelu managed to squeeze past all the servants who were watching this strange girl and the head of the staff, Engetsu, fight, and flung herself at Lana, yelling, "Lan-chan! You're awake!"  
  
Lana halted her fighting for a second, and hugged Allelu back, saying, "Course I am, Allelu-chan, when have I ever stayed down for long? Glad to see you're okay, where am I?" Allelu quickly told her what happened, while Marisa shooed all the servants away. "The palace, huh? Looks like I won't have to travel as far to find your Dad, right?" Lana said, winking as Allelu finished her story.  
  
"How are you feeling, no da?" Schola asked, looking concerned.  
  
Lana smiled brightly, and said, "Like I should keel over in few hours, but don't worry. I'll be fine."  
  
Kami laughed, and threw an arm around her shoulders, saying, "Yeah, you're tough, ain't ya?"  
  
Lana pumped a fist in the air, ignoring the pain that shot up her arm when she did so, and cried, "Yur d@mn right! I can live through ANYTHING!"  
  
Marisa gave a small cough, not knowing if Lana was still going to be mad at her or not, and looked a little worried. Lana, on the other hand, had already forgiven her, and glomped her saying, "Hey Marisa! Did you bring anything from back home? I miss my CD player, you didn't happen to bring one with ya, did you?"  
  
Marisa laughed in relief, and hugged her back, exclaiming, "Are you kidding?! I brought two CD players, a million batteries, and even raided your room for all your CD's before I left!" Lana cheered, but winced when it caused pain in her side. "Come on, Lana, I'll get my pack, and we'll look through all the junk I grabbed." Marisa told her, and put her friend's arm around her shoulder since it was obviously painful for Lana to walk. Kami wrapped an arm around Lana's waist from the other side to help support her, but found himself being grabbed by the back of the collar and drug away. He went chibi, trying to twist around to see who it was, and finally saw Allelu looking a little peeved.  
  
"If YOU end up helping Lana all the time, that doesn't leave any openings for Schola!" she hissed lowly, going chibi also, and dropping him.  
  
Kami rolled his eyes, and got up, saying, "Hai, hai. Just don't try to strangle me next time." Lana and Marisa hadn't noticed, and were busy trying to figure out how to get Lana out of the room.  
  
"Marisa, forget it. I can't walk. I can stand, but if I start moving on my feet, everything starts spinning." Lana sighed, and held her head, feeling dizzy. Lana yelped as she was suddenly swept up off the ground into someone's arms.  
  
"I'll carry you, no da. We need to go see Sodom-sama." Schola said, shifting Lana so he could carry her easily, one hand supporting her back, the other under her knees. Schola looked at the others, saying, "Come on, no da. Everyone's gonna want to talk to her, we need to get to the dining hall."  
  
Immediately Engetsu was there, saying sternly, "She needs to get properly dressed before she sees the Emperor! Now all of you, out! I'll call you when I'm done!"  
  
They all sweatdropped, and mumbled, "Hai." Schola gently set Lana down on the bed, then they all walked out.  
  
"Please hurry, we all need to talk to Lana." Marisa asked the woman, who nodded, then followed the rest out.  
  
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Marisa and the others all sat in the dining hall somewhat impatiently, when another yell rocked the palace foundations. "YOU WANT ME TO WHERE A DRESS?!?!?! NO DEAL!!!!"  
  
Then Engetsu, who sounded like she had had enough, shouted back, "WHAT WOULD YOU RATHER WERE THEN?! MEN'S TRAVEL CLOTHES?!"  
  
"HAI!" was the reply, and Marisa clapped her hands over her ears, knowing the next yell was sure to be an eardrum blaster.  
  
"YOU ARE GOING TO WEAR PROPER PALACE CLOTHES FIT FOR A LADY, YOU ARE GOING TO SIT STILL WHILE I FIX YOUR HAIR, AND YOU ARE NOT GOING TO COMPLAIN!!! IN FACT, IF I SAY SO, YOU ARE GOING TO LIKE IT! YA GOT THAT?!?!?!"  
  
Kami and Allelu whimpered, looking a tad frightened, and Joses gulped, saying, "Where the heck do you FIND people like this?"  
  
Sodom chuckled, and said, "Well, we had to have SOMEONE who could lead the rest of the staff without a problem, didn't we?"  
  
Schola grimaced, and commented, "She puts the fear of Suzaku in you, no da. Doesn't she?" They all listened for a while, but no more yells were heard.  
  
"Did that woman kill Lana?" Allelu asked, looking apprehensive.  
  
*****************************************  
  
Lana gulped, and looked at the fuming Engetsu before her, who's voice had left her dizzy. She had made Lana take a bath, then had started talking about clothes as she helped her walk back to the room. Lana had tried to argue, but... well... "Hai." Lana said meekly, sitting down, good as gold. Engetsu grumbled a bit, and began going through a closet, picking out various pieces of clothing.  
  
"Hm, blue would be nice, but then again, red would look good." Engetsu mumbled to herself, holding up a blue and a red kimono to Lana, comparing.  
  
"Well, if I must..." Lana sighed inside her head, and said, "I like the red one."  
  
Engetsu nodded and looked pleased, saying, "Yes, I think that would do nicely. By the way, what's your name?" Lana breathed a sigh of relief. Engetsu seemed to be back in a good mood.  
  
"I'm Lana. Could you tell me why the Emperor wants to see me?" Lana asked, changing into the kimono behind a screen, and letting Engetsu tie up the sash since it hurt her wrists to twist them around.  
  
"Well, from what I've heard, you're from the Miko's world, are you not?" the woman answered, steering Lana to a chair and sitting her down, pulling out a brush.  
  
"Hai. I arrived here a few months ago." Lana told her, sighing as she realized how much she missed her home.  
  
"That's most likely why. I also heard they seem to think you're Tamaho- My goodness! Your hair is strange!" Engetsu suddenly yelped, staring at it.  
  
"What's wrong with it?" Lana asked defensively.  
  
"I'm sorry, it's just that MOST people's hair doesn't change color every few inches." Engetsu said, turning her towards a mirror.  
  
Lana grinned. "Yeah, back at home people called me 'Calico'. It's just the way my hair is." Lana's hair was bright red in some places, gold where the sun shone on certain places, brown in others, had little traces of orange here and there, and even had a streak of blond at the back of her neck. If you stood a few feet away, it just looked like a straight brownish red, but up close, you saw that it had every natural hair color possible all thrown together.  
  
Engetsu's eyes went all sparkly, and she said, "Kawaii! I just HAVE to do something to make it more noticeable!" Lana sweatdropped, as Engetsu went chibi, and began doing her hair. In the end, some was done up in a bun, with the rest curling prettily around her face. Each curl, Lana noticed, seemed like it was a different color from the rest.  
  
"Is that natural, or did she do that on purpose?" Lana asked herself, sweatdropping again. "It's nice, but I'm going to feel so embarrassed walking out there in front of everyone. Speaking of which, how am I supposed to get there? Even with your help, it still hurts to move." Lana said, slumping down in her seat.  
  
Engetsu smacked her sharply on the shoulder, and said, "Sit up straight. And don't worry, I'll think of something. You! Go get Chimi, he should be at the archery range, he's a strong boy, he can help you." The maid Engetsu had ordered to get the man ran in a little while later with a boy, probably about fifteen, who looked at Lana and winked.  
  
"So your the cripple, huh?"  
  
Lana scowled, and said, "Not 'cripple', I still have full use of my legs, thank you." Chimi chuckled, and swept her up, Lana giving a yelp of surprise.  
  
He held her as if she weighed no more than a feather pillow. "Yeah yeah. Where to, Engetsu?"  
  
"Please take her to the banquet hall." Engetsu ordered, but Lana began squirming and trying to get down.  
  
"No! Now way! I take it back! I'm NOT going to show up in front of everyone looking so helpless! I'll walk on my own two feet even if it KILLS me! I refuse to be lugged around like a piece of luggage!" she ranted, and finally managed to twist out of Chimi's arms, and land awkwardly on her feet, refusing to show she was in pain.  
  
"Have it your way, I'll just tag along in case you need help. Besides, you need SOMEONE to show you the way." Chimi said, shrugging and putting his hands behind his head. Lana just snorted, and followed him out the door, forcing her vision to clear and ignoring the pain in her legs. 


	17. Chapter 17 Lana Awakens Beware of Stubb...

Disclaimer: I WISH I owned it, does that count?  
  
^*^AN^*^ Thanks to Katrina B Terrence, Eria- Don't worry, LOTS of suspense THIS chapter! :), miLady, Viette Adele- Thanx for being understanding, I'll try to update more often! Oh, and thanx for helping me keep my secret! ^_~  
  
Warnings: Sodom's being a jerk again. -_-;  
  
Chapter 17  
  
"I'm sure your friend is fine." Sodom reassured Allelu, turning his head towards the three people who had walked in the door. In the center was the girl, Lana, and on either of her sides were Engetsu, head of the staff, and one of the palace warriors, Chimi. Sodom blinked. Schola and Marisa had told him Lana was unable to walk! But here she was, her face set in determination. She nodded respectfully to everyone, before sitting gratefully in a chair Chimi had lead her to.  
  
"You okay?" Marisa asked, worriedly, and Lana winked with a grin, and said, "It was either walk or be carried by that guy over there, and I'd sooner keep my pride."  
  
Chimi rolled his eyes, but grinned at the girl's attitude. "Che, she's almost as stubborn as Engetsu." he commented to the emporor, looking like he was trying not to laugh.  
  
"Indeed." Sodom said, grimacing as Kami and Allelu shot him a glare. Everyone was introduced to Lana afterwards, and she greeted them all cheerfully.  
  
"So what are we all here for?" Lana asked, getting straight to the point.  
  
Sodom shot her a dissaproving look before he realized what he doing, but Lana just smirked back at him, saying, "I'm not FROM this country, Buddy. The only person I'm gonna listen to is Serena-chan, and maybe Engetsu. I don't fall under your list of subjects."  
  
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Kami and Allelu both gave silent cheers, and grinned after Lana's little speech. Sodom looked surprised to say the least, but muttered a short, "Hai." before answering her question. "We are all here because Kotou has been threatening Konan again. Though we have had peace for many years, they recently made a mysterious man their leader. As soon as they declared him emporor, he broke all treaties with Konan, and began building up the armies. All other countries that have tried to oppose him have suffered disasters, such as dieseses and fires that cannot be stopped.  
  
"We have hope, however, that if we summon Suzaku we can use the wishes to bring peace again. It shouldn't take too long, we only need one more warrior. Though the Ancient scroll we need was destroyed a long time ago. Some of my advisors have suggested we seek out Taiistkun. Then the ceremony will take place." Sodom looked around the table, but no one seemed to have any questions. Lana looked strangly troubled, however.  
  
"So what happens to all of them AFTER Suzaku is summoned?" she asked, leaning forward with her elbows on the table. "Pardon?" Sodom asked, narrowing his eyes.  
  
Lana glared back at him, and said, "What's going to happen when the country is back to being peaceful? Serena and Allelu weren't doing to good before I came along. Are you just going to let them go back to living the way they were before? Or do you have some plan for all of them now that you know who they all are? And how do I fit into all of this? I'm not Suzaku no Miko, how am I supposed to help?"  
  
Sodom raised an eyebrow, and said, "You are Tamahome, are you not?"  
  
Lana looked confused, and said, "No, Tamahome was my Grandfather."  
  
"The mark appeared while you were fighting those men back home." Allelu said cheerfully. Lana nearly fell out of her chair.  
  
"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME SOONER?!" she cried, looking doublely worried. "Great. Now not only do I have to defeat the black fire, I have to help this jerk summon a big red bird." Lana thought, slightly annoyed. "Anything else I need to know about myself before we continue?" Lana asked, sighing.  
  
"Nope. I think you're about caught up." Marisa said with a grin. Lana rolled her eyes and sighed.  
  
"We will head for the Hermits home in three days time." Sodom said, standing.  
  
"Hai." Rouin, Schola, and Marisa all said, and Kami gave a curt nod of his head.  
  
Allelu, Lana an Serena all looked at eachother, when Sodom left the room, and Allelu pointed out, "He never answered you, Lan-chan."  
  
"No, he didn't." Lana sighed, and then tried to stand, but ended up falling down.  
  
"Kuso!" Lana cried, frustareted.  
  
"Don't hurt your dress!" Engetsu cried, and checkd over her to see if she had ripped anything.  
  
"Will you be able to leave with us, Lana-san?" Schola asked concernedly, offering a hand to help her up.  
  
Lana accepted his help, and steadied herself against a chair when she was up, saying, "I think I should be fine by the time we have to leave, don't worry about me."  
  
"Lana-chan, don't push yourself." Serena ordered when Lana tried to walk again. Marisa bit her lip as Lana suddenly winced when she put weight on her legs.  
  
"Just sit down, Lana. Don't make it any worse." she begged.  
  
"Do you know what's wrong with you? I've never encountered this type of thing before." Rouin asked her, eyebrows knit in confusion.  
  
"I said don't worry about me, and I meant it. I'll be fine, Rouin-san." Lana said, smiling at him.  
  
"You say that pretty confidently for a person who can't even walk, no da." Schola commented drily as he had to catch her to keep her from falling again.  
  
Lana muttered a few quiet curses, and glared down at her legs, as if blaming them. "Well, how are we gonna get you around?" Kami asked.  
  
"I can carry her if it'd help." Chimi said cheerfully.  
  
"Show off." Schola thought darkly.  
  
"I don't NEED help. I'm gonna walk on my own." Lana insisted, and closed her eyes, breathing deeply. She concentrated for a second, willing her body to accept Faia quicker, and then opened her eyes again.  
  
Serena and Allelu looked worried, as Lana, eyes determined, let go of Schola and the chair. Lana refused to acknowledge the pain in her body, and focused on keeping her balance. "Why don't you show me where the gardens are? I heard some people talking about them earlier." Lana asked Marisa, grinning a little.  
  
"Hai." Marisa sighed, knowing Lana would go looking for them by herself if she didn't show her where they were.  
  
As the two girls walked out of the room, Schola looked over at Kami, and asked, "Is she always this stubborn?"  
  
Kami shrugged, and said, "I've only known her for a few days. Ask my Mom and my Sister. They're who she's been living with all this time. But for as long as I've known her, yeah. This is how she's acted."  
  
"Lan-chan just doesn't give up. She thinks it makes her look defenseless if she accepts help too often." Allelu sighed.  
  
"Maybe one of us should follow them." Serena suggested.  
  
"I nominate Schola!" Allelu said at once.  
  
Schola went chibi, and exclaimed, "Why ME, no da?!"  
  
"Because you can teleport, so if Lana gets in trouble, you'd be able to get her to Rouin the fastest." Allelu explained matter-of-factually.  
  
Schola sighed a "Hai." and took off down the halls after the girls.  
  
Kami grinned at his little sister, and asked, "Did you plan that?"  
  
"Nope. It was right off the top of my head." Allelu admitted, rubbing the back of her neck.  
  
"What's going on?" Rouin asked. "If you were worried about Lana's health, wouldn't it have made more sense for ME to follow her?"  
  
Allelu sweatdropped, and said, "You're right. I'm glad SCHOLA didn't think of that."  
  
  
  
Schola was keeping a safe distance behind the two friends as they entered the garden, and teleported up a nearby tree when they stopped to rest near the small pool he had used to contact Lana with.  
  
"So what do you think of this world so far?" Lana asked Marisa, looking at the water.  
  
"I haven't had time to get homesick yet, so ask me when I do." Marisa laughed, but stopped when she saw the look on Lana's face.  
  
"Home." Lana repeated, and pulled her legs to her chest, resting her forehead on her knees. "Tell me what it's like. I've almost forgotten." Lana begged quietly.  
  
Marisa bit her lip, looking like she wanted to cry. "You've.... forgotten what OUR world is like?"  
  
"Not completly. I just feel like it's slipping away from me. Please, just.....remind me." Lana whispered. Marisa gulped back her tears, and began to tell her anything and everything that came to her mind when she thought of the place she had just recently come from.  
  
"It's not nearly as clean as this place though." Marisa sighed after a while, looking up at the blue sky, untainted by pollution. "I think the thing I miss the most is indoor plumbing." Marisa said, smirking.  
  
Lana threw back her head and laughed, exclaiming, "Yeah right! I'll let you complain about plumbing when YOU'VE had to bring buckets of water up from a well at least five times a day for what seems like FOREVER!" Marisa giggled with her friend, who seemed to be in a much better mood now.  
  
"How are you feeling?" Marisa asked after they calmed down.  
  
Lana shrugged, and answered, "Okay I guess. Want to hear what I'VE been doing?"  
  
Marisa looked suspiciously at her friend's almost evil grin, and said slowely, "Okkaaayyyy."  
  
  
  
Schola had been listening to Marisa talk about the other world in awe for about fifteen minutes, and was relieved beyond belief when Lana laughed, and seemed to be cheerful again. It had pulled at his heart when she had seemed desparete to even HEAR about her own world again. Though he felt a selfish part of him hoping she WOULD forget her own world, and just stay in his forever. "That's not only selfish, it's also plain dumb. She's not going to just forget her own world." Schola thought to himself darkly. Suddenly a breeze came by and shook the tree, and Schola lost his balance and fell.  
  
"Itai." he groaned, and looked up, right into the concerned face of Lana, and the 'near tears of laughter' face that belonged to Marisa. "Are you alright?" Lana questioned, carefully helping him up.  
  
"Hai." he said sheepishly, looking embarrased.  
  
"Schola, what in the world were you doing UP A TREE?" Marisa said between giggles. Schola looked annoyed, and said the first thing that came to mind.  
  
"I was sent to check on you guys but, uh, kind of misudged the distance when I teleported."  
  
Lana and Marisa both gave a few giggles, before Lana said, "Sorry, but it really IS kind of funny. Anyway, if you're okay, why don't you join us? We're just talking. I'm not doing anything dangerous. Promise." Schola agreed, and they all resumed their sitting positions by the pond, Lana in the middle, Schola on the left anf Marisa on the right.  
  
"So what've you been doing since you got here?" Marisa said, returning to their earlier conversation.  
  
Lana smirked, and leaned back, shrugging, and saying, "Oh, not much. Got adopted, visited the hideout of the infamous Mt. Leikaka bandits, walked out without a scratch, fought some Seiryuu scum, found out I'm some freaky sort of warrior, you know. Nothing too unusual." Marisa sweatdropped, and gave a weak laugh.  
  
"So as soon as we call Suzaku, you're going back to your world, no da, right?" Schola asked, trying to keep the the saddness out of his voice.  
  
Marisa immediatly chirped, "Hai!" But Lana remained silent, and leaned forward to look int the depths of the pond.  
  
"Lana? You're coming home, right?" Marisa asked, starting to panic on the inside. Lana lifted up her head, and looked around her, at the beautiful garden, at the clear blue sky, and at the cool, pure water.  
  
Suddenly she stood and turned away from her two friends, saying softly, "I'm not sure, Marisa. I'm just not sure." And ran towards the palace gates, breezing past the guards, and running out of the palace.  
  
"Lana-chan!" Marisa screamed, jumping up.  
  
"I'll get her, no da!" Schola said and quickly followed after her.  
  
Marisa bit her lip as he dashed away, and said quietly, "Hurry Schola. If she doesn't stop soon, she might get even more hurt than she already is."  
  
Lana could feel every fiber of her body burning, but she couldn't stop. She just wanted to get back to her brook to think. She didn't care where her long-strided run took her, just as long as she could think there. She had lived in this world, and had grown to love it. She didn't feel like she belonged in her world anymore. She felt like she COULDN'T go back.  
  
Suddenly, her body couldn't take the fast pace anymore, and Lana collasped. She had managed to get out of the city, and lying underneath a large tree beside the road. Lana gave a defiant growl, and began to struggle to get back up, when a gentle hand on her back made her still.  
  
"You really shouldn't push yourself so much, no da." Schola told her softly, and helped her into a sitting position. "How am I supposed to get better if I don't?" Lana replied indignantly.  
  
Schola chuckled, and told her, "I agree that you shouldn't be lazy, but pushing yourself to the point of collapse won't help anything, no da." Lana gave a small pout, but said nothing. Schola studied her face for a minute, and then asked, "What did you mean by 'I don't know'?"  
  
Lana groaned, and before she could think about what she was saying, she blurted, "I think I want to stay HERE." 


	18. Chapter 18 Our little secret

^*^AN^*^ Sorry I haven't updated for so long! Had so much schoolwork. T_T  
  
Disclaimer: If I DID own it would Tama-baka have been the hero?  
  
Thanx to everyone who reviewed!!! You guys rock!!!!  
  
Chapter 18  
  
Schola nearly fell over when Lana said that, and for a split second, he allowed a wild hope to settle itself in his heart. But just as fast he dismissed such thoughts. "But won't you miss all your family and friends?" he asked.  
  
Lana snorted, and said, "Like they'd be too heartbroken about a break from baby-sitting me. They all think I'm a child. Besides, there are people here who NEED me!"  
  
'You don't know how right you are.' Schola thought, but only said, "Well, it IS your choice, no da."  
  
Suddenly thunder clapped, and rain began to pour, making a sort of curtain around the edge of the branches of the tree, only a few drops making through the branches above the two teens heads. "Oh man! How are we going to get BACK?! We can't walk in THIS!" Lana groaned, looking out at the storm.  
  
"You're right, no da. If we went out in this, you'd probably get sick all over again." he said looking out at the rain, and feeling the temperature dropping quickly.  
  
"By the way, who ARE you? I've only caught your name and some of the things you can do so far. Tell me about yourself." Lana said, pulling her legs closer to her body and looking curious.  
  
Schola blushed, and rubbed his neck saying, "There's really not much to tell, no da. I'm Chichiri's descendent, and have magic like he used to."  
  
'Doesn't appear to like to talk about himself. Hm, maybe Sodom hasn't been around him enough.' Lana thought with a small chuckle, and started to shiver from the cold.  
  
"Want my kesa (I think that's the blanket thing, right?)? It'll keep you warm, no da." Schola offered, starting to take it off, but Lana stopped him.  
  
"Nah, then you'll be cold. We could just share, if you don't mind." Lana said, and Schola lightly blushed, but nodded, and pulled it around both of their shoulders. Lana was still a bit cold, and moved so she was sitting closer to Schola. Schola jumped a little when she leaned on him, but Lana just said, "Hey, I'm cold, and you have lots of body heat."  
  
Schola blushed, but wrapped one arm tightly around her waist, saying, "It'll be warmer in the morning. Get some sleep."  
  
"Hai." Lana yawned, and rested her head on his shoulder, before falling into a deep sleep, Schola soon following her example.  
  
"I'm going to have to have a talk with that 'monk'." Taka muttered to himself. Then listened to Miaka's steady breathing in the other room for a second. "Well, everything worked out for US, hopefully they will for Lana too." he sighed, and went back to the book.  
  
"I'm worried, Sodom-san. They didn't come back last night! I'm going to go look for them!" Marisa said, planting her hands on her hips, and refusing to budge.  
  
"All right, Priestess. Have some others accompany you, though. We cannot risk you getting hurt." Sodom finally relented, and in the end it was voted Joses and Chimi would go with her. The three of them searched the town before going along the road to see if maybe they had gone farther. When they were about half-way down the road, they saw the two lost members cuddled up together under a large tree with Schola's Kasa wrapped around them.  
  
Joses swore loudly, and jumped off the horse he had been sharing with Marisa, walking over and roughly shaking Schola's shoulder.  
  
"Wha?" Schola murmured, waking up and finding himself outside and very warm instead of in his room back at the palace. He looked down and discovered he was sharing his cloak with Lana, who was still sleeping next to him. Last night came flooding back in his memory, and he looked up to find his priestess, a palace guard, and a friend all looking at him accusingly. Schola gulped, and was about to try to come up with some excuse, when Lana woke up, and sat up, stretching.  
  
"Has it stopped raining yet?" she asked through a yawn, and rubbed her eyes.  
  
"Um, hai Lana-san." Schola said, nervously standing up, and hooking his cloak back around him. Lana opened her eyes, and saw three of her friends looking like they were about to burst. Joses was first.  
  
"Kuso! How come the guys who aren't supposed to always get some first?" he exclaimed, giving Schola a good whack upside the head.  
  
"Lana! Did you-?!" Marisa yelled, looking shocked, but was interrupted by Chimi saying dryly, "That CAN'T have been good for getting her better."  
  
"Daa! No! You got it wrong, no-" Schola started to exclaim, but Lana just said calmly, "Don't worry, we didn't do anything. We were just waiting out the storm, Marisa. Sorry for worrying you."  
  
"Oh, that's good. Do you feel better?" Marisa said, her anxiety flying away in an instant. All the boys all fell down anime style at her quick dismissal of the thought.  
  
"I guess that depends on your definition of 'better'. I won't go running off again, but I'm still not sure if I want to stay here or go home. Maybe we should wait to worry about it until we've summoned Suzaku." Lana answered, still looking a little tired.  
  
"Okay, if you're sure you going to stay put." Marisa said in an almost scolding voice.  
  
Lana rolled her eyes. "I will." she answered, and stood up.  
  
"Up ya get." Chimi said cheerfully, and pulled Lana up on his horse in front of him.  
  
"Thanks." Lana yawned, and shook herself, trying to wake herself up.  
  
"Awe, you can go ahead and sleep on the way back, Lan-chan. We'll wake you up when we get to the palace." Marisa said, rolling her eyes.  
  
"She may fall off. Maybe I should carry her." Joses said innocently, and winked playfully when he saw Marisa's insulted look.  
  
"I'm stronger than you. She'll be safer with me." Chimi answered, and nudged his horse forward back towards the castle.  
  
"Are you going to teleport back?" Joses asked Schola suddenly, glaring at him pointedly.  
  
Schola sweatdropped. "Daaa, I forgot about that yesterday. I could have teleported us back to the palace, no da."  
  
"Forgot, or purposely ignored?" Marisa asked teasingly. Schola blushed and rubbed the back of his neck.  
  
"Oh, by the way, I happen to think you two make a cute couple!" Marisa called back to him as Joses turned the horse around and galloped to catch up with Chimi.  
  
"We're not-" Schola started to argue, but they were already out of earshot.  
  
"Daa. Why do I bother?" Schola sighed, and teleported himself to the castle.  
  
***************************  
  
Lana woke up just as Chimi's horse was trotting through the gates of the palace.  
  
"Arigato, Chimi-chan." Lana yawned, with a grateful smile. Chimi grinned back at her, and removed the arm that was around her waist to make sure she didn't fall off the horse.  
  
"Well, at least you didn't get offensive this time when I tried to help." he chided.  
  
"Oh hush." Lana said, though grinning.  
  
She had just gotten off the horse when Serena suddenly came rushing out, yelling, "Lana! Have you seen Allelu-chan?! I can't find her anywhere!"  
  
"Don't worry Serena-san. Chimi and I will-" Joses started to say, but Lana was already off the horse and running around the palace, calling her 'little-sister's' name. She was about to give up when she heard her voice.  
  
"I'm up here! Help me! I can't get down, Lan-chan!" a panicked voice suddenly yelled. Lana threw her head upwards, and saw Allelu-chan on the roof, looking scared.  
  
"Allelu-chan! How did you get up THERE?! Never mind, I'm coming to get you!" Lana called, starting to run towards the wall, then changing her mind and climbing a nearby tree, getting onto the roof by climbing onto it from a high limb.  
  
"Lan-chan! Thank goodness! I-" Allelu started to say, but suddenly slipped, giving a scream as she fell off the roof.  
  
"ALLELU-CHAN!" Lana yelled, and felt something shot from her back as she dived after the girl. Suddenly, they were gliding instead of falling. Lana gasped inwardly, as they descended slowly to the ground, and she looked behind her, her breath catching in her throat as she looked at two, white angelic wings.  
  
i"I told you I'd take care of you and your loved ones."/i a voice whispered in her mind.  
  
"Arigato." Lana said softly, as Allelu reached out a trembling hand, and touched one of Lana's wings.  
  
"Let's keep this to ourselves, ne?" Lana said, as her wings first went transparent, then disappeared altogether.  
  
Allelu gulped, and nodded as everyone came running around the corner to see if she was all right.  
  
Lana and her shared a secret glance, and she answered, "Fine. Almost.... heavenly." 


	19. Chapter 19 Serena's Request Merry Christ...

A/n Here's a little something for Christmas to you guys! Thanx to all who reviewed, you rock! ^_^  
  
Chapter 19  
  
"Allelu-chan! Leave the poor fish alone!" Lana cried, seeing Allelu trying to grab some of the fish swimming in the small pool of water. Allelu giggled, then looked around, seeing no one else was around.  
  
"Can we go for a ride, Lan-chan?" Allelu begged. It had been a few days since Lana had returned from running away, and she was nearly back up at full strength. In the times when no one else was around, the two girls had been testing the limits of Lana's wings. They had just begun having Lana carry Allelu while she flew to see how much weight she could carry, and it quickly became Allelu's favorite pastime.  
  
"Alright! Hang on!" Lana laughed, also finding flying fun, and grabbed Allelu, backing up a few steps, then taking a running leap into the air, flapping her wings with strong, graceful strokes.  
  
The two girls had discovered that if Lana concentrated hard enough, the wings would appear. Faia also agreed with practicing in case there was an emergency, and would help Lana with a little whispering voice in her ear while they were air-born. Faia had told Lana that since Allelu had already seen, that Lana might as well explain. Both girls were completely concentrating on flight, and didn't hear the approaching foot-steps until they had almost reached the large doors leading into the courtyard.  
  
"Uh oh." Allelu gulped, and Lana landed in a hurry, the wings vanishing.  
  
"What's going on? I could have sworn I heard a bird..." Sodom mused, coming through the doors with Rouin, Schola, Chimi, Serena, Kami and Joses following behind.  
  
".......... What happened?" Serena asked, seeing Lana and Allelu's frozen and guilty looks.  
  
"Ummmm, nothing. What are all you guys doing here?" Lana asked, casting a quick glance over her shoulder just to make sure her wings were gone, though she knew they were, knowing she looked stupid.  
  
"Since you are nearly well, we will be leaving to find the last seishi soon." Sodom told her, shooting a disapproving look at her. Schola gave her a sympathetic smile when she made a face at Sodom's back when she turned, and had to follow him when he called him.  
  
"All right, what was going on?" Joses asked after everyone but him, Kami, Lana and Allelu had left.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Lana and Allelu both asked, looking incredibly innocent. Lana even cocked her head to one side cutely, looking slightly confused. Joses and Kami glared at the two of them, and Allelu decided to come up with an alibi, much to Lana's displeasure.  
  
"I was trying to get Lan-chan to tell me which one of you she liked the most." she piped up, and Lana paled.  
  
"Um, I mean- er- uh oh." Allelu said meekly as identical devilish grins broke out on the boy's faces.  
  
"Nice going, Allelu-chan." Lana mumbled, backing up a step. Next thing the poor girl knew, she was tied up by chibi bandits, and helpless.  
  
"So, what'd she say?" Joses asked innocently, looking as if he didn't notice the murderous Lana sitting on the ground in front of him.  
  
"Er, she didn't say." Allelu gulped.  
  
"Oh, but she will now, won't you, Lan-chan?" Kami asked with an almost sadistic grin at the girl, who pressed her lips together, glaring. "Are you ticklish?" he asked next, and was rewarded with a horrified look on Lana's apart.  
  
"Ohhhhhh, THIS is going to be entertaining." Joses said with an evil smirk, and both he and Kami began relentlessly searching for her ticklish spot, Lana almost dying laughing.  
  
"Stop! STOP!!!!" she screamed, tears of laughter flowing down her face.  
  
"Well?" Joses asked expectantly, sitting in front of her beside Kami and Allelu after they untied her.  
  
Lana looked in deep thought for a while, and said, "Wait a sec, I'm trying to remember if I have a boyfriend back home who needs to be taken into consideration."  
  
"Are you going to get married while you're here?" Allelu suddenly asked, leaning forward intently looking at Lana.  
  
"I'm too YOUNG Allelu-chan!" Lana exclaimed, jumping a mile high.  
  
"Not HERE." Joses pointed out with a grin.  
  
"No way! I'd hate being tied down!" Lana insisted, backing away.  
  
"But Lana, maybe you could find a guy who you wouldn't feel 'tied down' with." Kami said, all innocence.  
  
"I swear, you guys are going to drive me crazy!" Lana cried, throwing her hands in the air in frustration.  
  
"Nah, we just love sticking our noses in other people's business." Joses said with a grin, throwing an arm over her shoulders.  
  
"I liked you better when you thought I was a guy." Lana grumbled, crossing her arms. Allelu giggled, then cocked her head to one side.  
  
"Would it make you feel better if you were working on something?" she asked, scratching her chin and thinking up a few ideas.  
  
"Yes, but 'Sodom-sama' has so many servants, I'd just get in the way." Lana growled, saying Sodom's name like it was a poison.  
  
"He IS quite annoying sometimes, isn't he, no da." a voice suddenly said on their right.  
  
Lana shrieked in surprise, and jumped to her feet drawing her sword, and hyperventilating. "Don't DO that!" she yelled at Schola, who had magically appeared, taking deep breaths.  
  
"Gomen, didn't mean to scare you, no da." The monk said apologetically.  
  
"Ah, that's okay." Kami told him cheerfully, waving a hand at him dismissively.  
  
"When are we leaving to look for the last seishi?" Lana asked in a business-like tone.  
  
"Are you sure you're well enough, no da?" Schola asked her with concern.  
  
"Healthy as a horse." Lana responded happily, doing a cartwheel to convince him.  
  
"Good to hear, no da. We should be leaving soon." Schola told her with a smile, then turned and disappeared back into the palace.  
  
"Hmmmmm, maybe the little vixen prefers her men more religious?" Joses said seriously, looking thoughtful.  
  
That pushed Lana right over the edge.  
  
".........Vixen?" Lana asked, turning slowly to Joses, murder in her eyes.  
  
Joses just smiled back at her innocently. "You prefer Lan-chan?"  
  
"YOU'RE DEAD!!!" Lana yelled, diving at him but just getting a fistful of air as he dodged. "COME BACK HERE YOU COWARD!!!" she yelled after his retreating form, chasing him.  
  
Alleu and Kami both shook their heads, and at the same time said, "Crazy."  
  
"Allelu-chan! Kami-chan! Come here!" Serena called, coming out th door with two bundles in her arms. Suddenly she saw Joses and Lana, who were running around in circles and she blinked, then shook her head, sighing.  
  
"Here, these are for your trip." she told her children, smiling slightly and handling them her girfts. They both opened them and saw warm clothes, thick blankets, and a little bound book and writing tool in each.  
  
"What are these for?" Allelu asked, holding up the writing materials.  
  
Serena suddenly turned stern. "You are going to write down everything that happens on your journey so I can read what happened when you get back." she ordered, hands on her hips.  
  
"So basically they're journals?" Kami asked, looking like he'd rather not use it.  
  
"Yes. And you WILL write in it." Serena told him flatly, and he 'eep'd and agreed.  
  
"What about Lana?" Allelu asked, turning to look at Lana, who at the moment was shouting something at Joses about 'If he called her that one more time'.  
  
"I'd like to talk to her in private about that." Serena said airily, and went over, asking Lana to follow her inside.  
  
"Uh, sure." Lana said, walking in after her.  
  
"What was THAT all about?" Joses asked, looking after them in confusion.  
  
"No idea..." Kami answered, watching them closely as Serena closed the doors after them. Allelu looked at her brother worriedly, but neither of them knew what was going on.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Lana-san, I have a request to make." Serena told Lana, holding her hands folded in front of her. Lana looked at her a little worriedly.  
  
"H- Hai?" she stuttered, looking nervous and rocking back and forth, but stood up straight when Serena looked at her firmly.  
  
"As you know, I cannot come with you, your friends and my children on your journey." Serena said, sighing and looking down at the ground.  
  
"I know. It must be hard for you." Lana said softly, and put a comforting hand on Serena's shoulder. Serena looked up at Lana, and placed her own hand over Lana's, bringing it in front of her and clasping it in both of hers. She mentally wondered why Serena had not yet seen her husband, though she had made many requests to do so. Shouldn't HE be the one Serena talked to about her worries?  
  
"Lana, this is my request. Comfort and care for my children as I would. Be their mother for me while I am not near. Protect them as I would." Serena begged Lana softly.  
  
"N-Nani?" Lana gasped. "Serena-san, I am too young! I know nothing of parenting! How could I-" she started to argue, but Serena held up a hand to silence her.  
  
"I believe you do, Lana-chan. You care for both of them greatly already, just try to be thier mother for a while, I'm sure you'll do fine." Serena assured her.  
  
Lana looked at her helplessly for a second, before standing up straight and proud, then bowing low, and saying, "Hai, Serena-san. I swear to protect them with my life."  
  
"I know it seems selfish of me, but I just need to know they'll have someone to care for them while I'm not around." Serena sighed after smiling gratefully at Lana.  
  
"No it doesn't. You just love them." Lana told her with a soft smile, then bowed low again, and said, "I'll go pack our things." With that, she turned and left for their rooms. Things had been brought from Serena's house after they discovered her children were seishi so that they would not have to go back by their home and slow the trip.  
  
Serena smiled after Lana, then turned to check on the horses Kami and Allelu chosen for the trip. Kami chose Campfire, Allelu took Lan-chan, and Joses kept his own horse.  
  
'Be safe.... all of you.' Serena thought worriedly, biting her lip. She had a terrible feeling about this trip. 


	20. Just trying to straighten some things ou...

This is not a new chapter, believe me, I wish it was.  
  
Lana here, just wanted to say, that contrary to what you must be thinking, I'm working on the next chapter! ^_^;;; I'll be back to normal soon. ^_^; Well, as normal as I can be.  
  
Oh, and here's something I was thinking of, trying to make everyone happy. I'd probably do the friendly rivalry thing, then have 2 different chapters at the end. One for Lana/Kami fans, and one for Schola/Lana fans. Tell me if it sounds like a retarded idea. Maybe I could just write another story completely with Kami/Lana. Anyways, just tell me what to do! I'm a little lost at the moment.  
  
(Preview for upcoming chapter: First encounter with Black Fire and Camping under the stars ^_^ )  
  
Lots of love,  
  
Lana 


End file.
